Ottoman Empire

Sultan Suleyman Kanuni I was Selim's successor whom put the Ottoman Empire at an apogee of power or a golden age.

"...the Ottoman Empire reached an apogee of power and success, a classical age, or golden age..."
- The ottoman empire was run in such an un-traditional, unethical, imperialistic manner that it surprised me on it's success. They adpated a spartan like society sending their kids to a millitary school focusing on combat and the religion of Islam. They being forced into slavery forced them to be tough.


"...the Ottoman Empire belonged to the state by right of conquest by the victorious ruling dynasty. The sultan governed the state as a trust from God."
- If the Ottoman Empire belonged to the state, and the sultan governed the state, this givers all of the power to one man. Today this is simply unheard of. The amount of reign and power the sultan had was ten times that of President Obama. 


"As the ruling class of the empire, the sultan's extended household of state servants paid no taxes, serving society and living off its revenues. These state servants were the sultan's slaves, his kuls." 
- Although these slaves were bound and forced to work under the sultan, they did get compensation. This is type of governing remindes me of a spoils system. 


"The ottoman realm was ruled by the sultan as a trust from God that all land belonged to the state, and that the state functioned as an extension of the sultan's household had direct relevance for the operation of the Ottoman economy. Economic activity increased the power and wreath of the state, which acted to distribute it's benefits to all." 
- It is said over and over again that the sultan runs the state, and in a sense is the state. The economic activity increases the power of the state, the sultan. This type of governing favors the sultan as well as his people, prosperity was spread despite the excessive amount of power and prosperity the sultan had.


It interests me how the women played a significant part in the delicate and cruical buisness of preserving the dynasty. On the contrary, it was common in the classical Ottoman system that Sultan's servants were slaves and taken from Christian villages in the Balkans. The children being sold to slavery were forced into this to prove their loyality to the state, mostly the sultan. 


Elite military slavery and an impersitical run-governmeant provided the Otttoman Empire with a Golden Age and extreme prosperity..


The thing that fathams me most about the Ottoman Empire was that, "The highest governing body in the empire was the imperial council, a cabinet-like group of men appointed directly by the Sultan. It directed the political, judicidal, financial, and administrative functions of government..." Even the few men that did hold power in the empire was picked by the sultan. This also remindes me of the spoils system because he's appointing jobs to men he likes or are on his status of riches and power, thus just increasing people already in power.

Dr. Frank's Essay

"In the changing Christian perceptions—from viewing Muslims as barbarians or idolaters to considering them as heretics who departed to a greater or lesser extent from the Christian faith—we can chart a progression."

"Christian meant above all a call to repentance; during those times Christians looked at Islam mostly, in Tolan’s words, as ―a powerful military threat but a negligible spiritual menace,‖ and thought it would go away.1"

it's interests me how the ideas of muslim religion has changed over the years. The common misconceptions has drastically changed however their is still a negative connotation. This negative connotation started very early. Muslims have been considered as barbarians and have been facing racial and religious prejduice. It interests me that muslims based their religion of christian faith. Their faith and religion is so intimidating that it even sparks a fear to be a military threat. The hostility fathoms me.

Decameron Day Two

We have spoken in class about giving into desires no matter the sins and the negative results that could come about. When Masetto played, "mute" or deaf, he was, in a sense held captive by numerous nuns to have sex with them. This is very sinful because they are nuns and promised their virginity to God, but they are also sharing the same man. Also, they were in a sense taking advantage of him despite is actual knowing of what was going on. The nuns and the abyss shared Masetto for enough time to reproduce and have little monks and nuns. They made themselves feel better by saying they didn't sin because they helped Masetto gain is speaking and hearing back by having sex with him. However this is false, he could hear the entire time. They're reasons for validating their sins is sinful within itself because it's a lie.


"The less hope of sucsess, he enjoyed, the more his love increased"
Nastagio fell deeply in love by Ravenna, whom was wicked and cruel to him. She hated everything about him and everything he liked. However he was blinded by love and felt very passionate for her. His family tried to assure him that she was cruel to him and should not stay with her. He was to blinded, and didn't listen. He saw his old aquantance one day in the woods with a women suffering and screaming from his cruel actions. The aquantance had told him that this women treated him horribly and that the divine force, God, sentenced him to brutelly stab the women in the breast, rip open her back and feed her flesh to the dogs. She would then rise up like nothing happend and would run away for the knight to follow her and kill her again. They are forced to this for the amount of time that she was cruel to him. Nastagio sets up a dinner party in the woods were he had seen her brutelly get killed. Relatives of the women and the knight were there to witness it. They were filled with terror and fear. Especailly Ravenna. Ravenna and Nastagio eventually lived happily ever after because their love was re-estabilished. They married.

Decrameron

The first story is of a deciving man who lies under a confessional when he falls ill. These confessions are to be his last, and they are lies. He presents himself to be innocent but really he lives a life of sins.  He preaches a sermon and is forever symbolized as a saint and a holy man. His travel and religion allowed him to die as a holy man despite his sins.G The second story is about a man named Giannotto who tries to convince his jewish friend Abraham to convert to christianity. When Giannotto is told by Abraham that he wants to see the pope himself and travel. He does just that while Giannotto is scared because of the corruption of the church. However, Abraham belives in God and is convinced that God's words are spoken in the church. In the fourth story religion and love intertwine. A young monk is caught seducing a girl by an abbot. He is prosecuted. The rest of the stories take on the theme of prosecution. 

Travel Literature

For a woman like Kempe to be in Jerusalem and Rome, is very spiritual and surreal. Since she was in these places of high significance that held the last hours of jesus christ, she was ovewhelmlingly suppressed and saddened. She cries so loud as if she had seen the torture the Lord was put through. She cried in sympathy for Holy Mary as well, and cried as if she was Mary herself looking at her son being nailed to the cross and battered with all sorts of horrible treaters weapons. This travel gave Kempe a chance to rejuvenate her soul and for her to be forgiven of her sins. She gets that and more by the Lord and Mary. The travel was not just to reach destinations but to obtain the fulfillment of being in the presence of what she felt were spiritual beings such as the Lord. Her tears were rewarded by the an assurance of the Lord that she would make it through the trip despite her abandonment of her crew. There are many valuable spiritual and cultural experiences that she wouldn't have gotten without these travels. She came to Jerusalem and Rome to show her devotion and love for the Lord, and to be forgiven. She got much more than that, and the Lord protected her through the trip to Rome. Mandeville's travels were spoke about through myths and stories commonly heard of. The appeal of the world is to see if his stories of the disturbing things he had seen were real or not. The spiritural connections one gets from visiting holy lands are the main of point of interest for traveling to them. When he speaks aboout non christian cultures he speaks more about the materials and spices that are there. However he relates the Koran to christianity and says that the Koran is God's messenger. 

Book Of Good Love (Day Two)

The mountain girls are perceived and described by the archpriest as an ugly, vile, deformed creature.The girls represent a sense of hell, sins, and the devil. The archpriest even says "That mountain girl had the devil in her, may Saint Julian take her. She and the other mountain girls make a living off capturing people that try to cross to their lands and threatening them with ultimate starvation and being frozen to death. The first mountain girl said she would strip him down if he did not bribe her with jewelry and other expensive goods. These women are very masculine and over sexualized. The mountain girls are desperate for premarital sex because they have no lover of their own. These mountain girls are very threatening and scary to the archbishop, as he is being confronted by the second mountain girl, he asks for Gods help, "God keep me from harm!" He spends little to no time with her and takes, "the cowards way out." The third mountain girl is desperate to marry. He tricks her by saying he would gladly marry her. As if that wasn't enough, she tells him she wants jewelry if he wants her hand in marriage. The girls are all deceiving and sell their souls for money and expensive items. The last mountain girl is a monster. He describes her as the word apparition he has ever seen. The archpriest takes a journey into devil bound souls. He sees the non existent ethics in morals in the mountain girls. It teaches him that in order for your soul to last for eternity, you have to comply with "good" morals and ethics.

Book of Good Love

There is a huge emphasis on fables because of the way it is written, in verse. Fables include mythical creatures, plants, inanimate objects, and nature. Supernatural and unrealistic qualities are given to certain characters. The mythical creatures are given human characteristics, which is the point of a fable. A fable's purpose is to illustrate a lesson or a moral of the story. At the end of each short story, a fable comes about. The lesson Juan Ruiz is trying to teach to men is to not involve themselves in "foolish" love but to embark on a "journey" such as he did to find a "good" love. The fable makes it easier for the author to get right to the point or the moral of the story. The moral of the story is to devote your love to God, and to resist from sexual sin. He says something very powerful about the existance of women, "If when God made man he had intended woman to be a bad thimg, he would never have given her to man as his companio, nor formerd her from him. If she were not made for good, she would not be so noble." He goes on to say that if man were not so fond of woman, love would not hold so many people captive.  

Songs of Holy Mary

Song #4
This is a story of great treachery, violence, and abuse. The son of a jew had a communion and was blessed the Holy Mary. His father asked him about his day and his son told him that he had just had his communion. Being that he is jewish, his father lost sanity and his right mind and threw his son in the furnace. However because he was baptized and had a great deal of appreciation for the Holy Mary and Christianity as a whole, Holy Mary looked after him and protected him from any pain just as God her son did for Hanananiah, Azriah, and Mishael. There was a direction connotation to Holy Mary holding her son in her arms on the alter. It was as if the little jewish boy was her son whom she held on to for dear life. The theme in this one is the opposite of song five. It is about faithfulness, acceptance for other religions, especially since Jesus himself was Jewish. It's also about believing and committing to your belief. Holy Mary obtains the role to save the Jewish boy whom showed faith and hope in Holy Mary. There is a religious commentary concerning Jews and Christians and the unsettling separation of the two. This story shows just how dangerous and violent religion is. It shows how it alters situations and personalities.
Song #5
The plot of this song is the way the empress over came many struggles and tribulations with the help of Holy Mary. The main theme in is the vindictive way of the people during this time period when they thought someone did something wrong or decitful. They acted upon only what they heard from each other and didn't act upon pure evidence. It was a series of bad events for the empress because her beloved emperor had to leave to Jerusalem show his loyalty to god. Under the alone supervision of the emperor's brother, he admitted to her that he loved her. He is betrayed his brother proving the theme of vindictively driven people and betrayal. The role of the Holy Mary is to help the empress in her time of need, in the ocean, during her beatings. Holy Mary saved the empress from hunger and gave her the strength and ability to cure. In terms of a political analyasis of this, there is no governmeant or judge to hear one's story. The people join together to dismiss and kill anyone they belive to have betrayed someone or stolen. The empress was continulosuly hurt by people who had love for her. Her emperor, a lover whom she didn't know killed a baby she was supposed to look after, and her brother in law.

Troubadour & Trobairitz

These two poems share a similar story of longing, heartbreaks, and unfulfilled desires. The emotions love brings out of these poets are very strong. Jaufre Rudel speaks about how his lover is "lands away" from him. He speaks about his longing to see her. He says I must love and not be loved. The depression and heart aches are evident. Sometimes being broken up with is easier than being apart from your lover because it forces you to move on, and you know it's the end. However the separation allows no reassurance and sense of commitment. The two poems in troubadour and trobairitz share a similar foundation of faithless, hopeless lovers. Rudel says, "But the path is blocked to my desire, a great curse on this godfather who doomed to be unloved." He also says how he wishes he were a prisoner for her. The extreme emotions love brings out are spoken about in both of these texts.
The Countess of DIA clearly brings forth a women's voice and thoughts. The poem starts off with her speaking about how she is longing for a lover. When she finds out she feels uncertain and worried. "I pray him to believe my words and not let anyone persuade him that i ever would betray him, except I found myself betrayed. Her lovers name is Floris, and she sings a song to him and tells him how she has been "tricked and cheated" by him. She finds comfort in the deiciving vindictive break-up. "There's one thing though that brings me recompense: I've never wronged you under any circumstance , and I love you more than Seguin loved Valensa. At least in love I have my victory. This is a very feminine trait and mentality because a man would not make that connection or recgognieze it. She tries to figure out why he has wronged her and decides it is his desire to sustain pride and superority. She says, "too much pride has undone many men."

Arabic Poetry

The signs of love indicates that love can easily be seen from looking into one's eye. This adds proof to the idea that love is indeed possible at first sight. It is added that "the eye is the wide gateway of the soul."The central idea of this story is that love is blind and causes us to act differently. This is a central theme for the two readings. In The Dove's Necklace, the idea that people become more suspicious and un trustworthy when they are in love. They question and interrogate their lover to ensure the truth comes out. "Lovers have evil thoughts of one another ; each suspects every word the partner utters and misconstructs it willfully." Once love emerges it is seemed to be infinite. "Love cleaves to such people's hearts and once it lays hold of them never looses grip." Love causes us to act different than we normally would especially to your lover specifically. Betrayal is not easy to overcome as most lovers would act violent and act upon blind fury. Love at first sight is condoned in this reading. "Often it happens that love fastens itself to the heart as a result of a single glance." As a result of this it is assumed that love will not last as long when you fall in love after a single glance. "The quicker they grow, the quicker they decay."

The Dove's Necklace carries into the Poems. The two of them stress the importance of the cause of one's relationship and admiration for one another. "Ibn Hazm states, "It's only cause is the will, and no one knows any cause but that, when we discover that a thing is its own cause, then it is an existence that is unperishing."The Dove's necklace states, "Every love affair must necessarily have some original cause" It is stressed by the two readings that the cause and foundation for love plays a huge part in the outcome and success of it. In the poem Ibn Hazm it is stated that, "...When we find its cause is something other than itself its destruction will come about when we lack that which gave it existence." This quote is the central theme or idea for both stories, it's a common ground.

Plato's Republic

It is suggested that the best of the kings are the best philosiphers, warriors, and that they sustain the vaule of their ethics. The ruler should also focus on virture and aspiration, as this is was the foundation for this greek culture. Their idea of the perfect government is a very Sparatan-like one. Their focus is to ensure power for the ruler. The role of the people is to be warriors. Occupations such as farming and other forms of manual labor will not be compensated for. Their idea of an equal economy amongst the people is presented. Their obligation is to be a fit, strong warrior. Escentially, the people will be fighting for money and the desire to be wealthy will be their life goal. This is because whoever has the most money will be the most powerful and can rule over poorer people. The people who do not have power or money succomb to being what they considerd evil. Socrates entitles these people"drones." 

Eventually the oligarchy dissolves into a democracy because their are few rich people left and the country is in poverty and the "drones" rebel against the rich and they are killed. Now the power is determined by the property you obtain. The freedom of speech is given to everyone, founding the idea of democracy. The democratic man succombs to his "unnecesary desires" but in the end appreciates all the luxorious things money can buy. The idea that we are persuaded by wrong and selfish desires founded our form of government. We live and work for money and power as oppose to trying to stabalize peace and harmony as well as equality.  

Odyssey 21-24

The bow symobilzes victory over the suitors. Penelope uses the bow to enforce reseantmeant and hate amongst the suitors. She gives them a bow because Minerva puts it in her mind too.
"Minerva now put it in Penelope's mind to make the suitors try their skill with the bow and with the iron axes, in contest among themselves, as a means of bringing about their destruction." The bow also repsresents a sense of Odysseus' nationalisim and pride he has for Ithaca. He did not bring the bow with him to Troy, he left at home to keep it safe. It is symbolic that he uses this swoard that helped him through his battles at home to regain his ground, wife, and to save his son. It also represents Odysseus' value and appreaciation of friendships because the bow was given to him by Iphitus, a valued friend. The bow also represents Telemachus' desire to fufill the same duties as his father and follow his footsteps as a war hero. It represents his fist step into man hood."...If I can string it and shoot through the iron, I shall not suffer my mother to quit this house with a stranger, not if I can win the prizes which my father won before me." The bow also symobilzes defeatment for the suitors. They do not carry the same strength to use his bow against him. One of the suitors explains his inability to take use of the bow, "What I feel most is the fact of our being so inferior to Ulysses in strength that we cannot string his bow. This will disgrace us in the eyes of those who are yet unborn." Penelope gives more signifigance to the bow, "If the stranger should prove strong enough to string the mighty bow of Ulysses, can you suppose that he would take me home with him and make me his wife?" The bow is a symbol of inevidable victory. The bow is a direct connotation with Odysseus and his infinite power.
 

The violence against the suitors and the guilty women can be justified. They had many chances to give up their desire of marrying Penelope and give the house back to their power. They also were planning to kill Odysseus' son. They were very disrespectful and violent. He does spare the life of a suitor.  "Here I am, my dear sir," said he, "stay your hand therefore, and tell your father, or he will kill me in his rage agahinst the suitors for having wasted his substance and been so foolishly disrespectful to yourself." Ulysses smiled at him and answered, "Fear not; Telemachus has saved your life, that you may know in future, and tell other people, how greatly better good deeds prosper than evil ones. Go, therefore, outside the cloisters into the outer court, and be out of the way of the slaughter- you and the bard- while I finish my work here inside." He his rage is justifiable and although he is embarking on a journey of tranquility and peace after fighting such a grusum war, the first step of this is ironically violence. The suitors had it coming to them. Even though they tried to talk it out and bribe Odysseus of a compensation for all the food they consumed, Odysseus refuses. The women were also punished and had to dispose of dead bodies and clean up after the cleansing of the suitors. Telemachus takes control, for if it had not been for him, the women might have gotten away under Odysseus' rule. "I shall not let these women die a clean death, for they were insolent to me and my mother, and used to sleep with the suitors." Telemachus saw the disrespect and dishonor of the women first hand and told his father about it. The Odyssey wouldn't be the Odyssey if it didn't end with such an epic victory and battle. 

Odyssey Books 6-10

Nausicaa encounters Odysseus on the beach at Scher while she is washing her clothes after Athena appeared in her dream telling her that she is lazy and needs to make more of an appearance for the men that wait on her. Odysseus tells Nausicaa how he has been stranded in the water for 20 days. She reacts sympathetically and tells her maids to clothe him. When Odysseus finds out that Nausicaa is the daughter of King Alcinous his automatic assumption is that he would show hatred towards him because he is a foreigner. This reflects on his past experiences with war and violence. When asked by King Alcinous how he was clothed he says,  "she is not to blame. She did tell me to follow along with the maids, but I was ashamed and afraid, for I thought you might perhaps be displeased if you saw me. Every human being is sometimes a little suspicious and irritable."  The peace and harmony he encounters is unfamiliar and reliving to him. He is surprised that King Alcinous and Queen Arete take such a huge likeing to him. King Alcinous insists he marries his daughter, Nausicaa."I am not the kind of man to get angry about nothing; it is always better to be reasonable; but by Father Jove, Minerva, and Apollo, now that I see what kind of person you are, and how much you think as I do, I wish you would stay here, marry my daughter, and become my son-in-law. If you will stay I will give you a house and an estate, but no one (heaven forbid) shall keep you here against your own wish, and that you may be sure of this I will attend to-morrow to the matter of your escort..." This move represents his journey home because he is on land and in a very civilized, wealthy, home which resembles his own. He finds a guaranteed way home and his journey has begun. Odysseus embodies King Alcinous by maintaing power and authority in his home the way King Alcinous does. 


Odysseus' appearance plays a huge role in the appeal King Alcinous sees in him. "Every one was struck with the appearance of Ulysses, for Minerva had beautified him about the head and shoulders, making him look taller and stouter than he really was, that he might impress the Phaecians favourably as being a very remarkable man, and might come off well in the many trials of skill to which they would challenge him." King Alcinous really goes out of his way to ensure that Odysseus gets home saftley. He assigns "two and fifty" of his smartest sailors to help Odysseus embark on his journey. He also orders that a new ship be made to embark on the voyage. Lastly, he commands that a feast be made and his favorite singer, Demodocus obtained a "divine gift of song." Demodocus' songs are so touching and over whelming that Odysseus begins to sob, and hide his face to save him from embarrassment and humility. Odysseus is then challenged by Eurylaus to compete in their olympic games after the feast. Odysseus refuses as he wants to embark on his journey home. After being accused of not obtaining any athletic ability or will power, Odysseus replies, "Now, however, I am worn out by labour and sorrow, for I have gone through much both on the field of battle and by the waves of the weary sea; still, in spite of all this I will compete, for your taunts have stung me to the quick." His personality and morals are demonstrated. His "war-hero" mentality has been taken from him and he reacts very manly and assertively. As Odysseus is saying his goodbyes he says to Demodocus," Demodocus, there is no one in the world whom I admire more than I do you. You must have studied under the Muse, Jove's daughter, and under Apollo, so accurately do you sing the return of the Achaeans with all their sufferings and adventures. If you were not there yourself, you must have heard it all from some one who was. Now, however, change your song and tell us of the wooden horse which Epeus made with the assistance of Minerva, and which Ulysses got by stratagem into the fort of Troy after freighting it with the men who afterwards sacked the city. If you will sing this tale aright I will tell all the world how magnificently heaven has endowed you." Odysseus is taken back by his songs when he sings about the quarell between he and Achilles  Demodocus becomes a key player in Odysseus' voyage home by singing tales of Odysseus' and his men encountering sufferings and adventures. Demodocus' songs enact King Alcinous to ask about his warrior stories, past, and identity.    

Odyssey Books 1-5

The epic journey that is the theme and main discussion point of the Odyssey is Odysseu's return home. Although the story opens with Odysseus' inability and desire to return home, the story proceeds to focus on the impediments that get in Telemachus' way of finding himself in manhood. The story begins in the middle of chaos as oppposed to the victorious outcome of Troy. This reinforces the intensity of the drama between Telemachus and the Suitors whom he has to step up to in order to dive into man hood and regain his fathers real estate I belive this story will mainly be about Telemachus and his journey to man hood and saving his father. With his father gone, he takes on the role of the man of the house. Odysseus' story is not yet told because the context and the way it's written is much more intriguing and captivating for the audience. It sets the theme and idea that this will be about Odysseus' travel to go home as the loving hero he is, and for Telemachus to go to save his father so he too can loath in heroisim. He must also go to Pylos to ask Nestor about his father's where about's and see if he is still alive. He is told by Proteus that his father is still alive and being held captive by an obsessive lover, Calypso.

Telemachus is a 20 year old who lives in his fathers shadow. He wants to be a devoted, strong prince and do justice as prince for his father. He embarks on a journey to find and save his father, when in reality he is also saving himself from his insecurities and douts. He is protected by gods and godesses because of his good intentions and ambitions. Telemachus telling the suitors of their banishment from his fathers' estate symbolizes the first step he takes to becoming a man, "let there be no brawling, for it is a rare thing to hear a man with such a divine voice as Phemius has; but in the morning meet me in full assembly that I may give you formal notice to depart, and feast at one another's houses, turn and turn about, at your own cost. If on the other hand you choose to persist in spunging upon one man, heaven help me, but Jove shall reckon with you in full, and when you fall in my father's house there shall be no man to avenge you."  

Genesis 37, 39 - 50

Topic 1 - 37-39
Josephs's brothers Bilhah and Zailpah are very jealous, envious, and angry towards Joseph. Joseph is interrupted as a divine character with God always on his side. Israel loved Joseph more than his other two brothers. He gives Joseph a robe with multiple colors which symbolizes his upmost respect for his son. The robe is an article of clothing that is worn with pride and self- respect. It is symbolic that Josephs brothers use his robe to fake Joseph's death. When Joseph tells of his dreams of people bowing down before him, his brothers act with anger and sarcasim. His father reacts with a sarcastic answer as well, "What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves to the ground before you?" However he keeps the idea in his head as to keep in mind that his son could in fact be divine. It is suggested that God is by his side multiple times in the chapters. My interpretation is that God made Joseph be sold instead of killed because Joseph's role in life is to be a divine force and reign over others. "The LORD was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his egyptian master. His master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD caused all that he did to succeed in his hands." This is a very informative, impacting statement because an egyptian master saw that God was with him, which only proves this idea that God speaks through him and is with him to be validity. God even helped him when the egyptian master's wife tried to frame Joseph with rape. God was on his side because he saw Josephs loyalty to God, the master, and his ability to resist and not sin. His self-control allows God to step in and help him when Joseph is sent to prison. The prison guard gives Joseph the power to control all the inmates as well as himself. Two of the prisoners tell Joseph of their dreams, and Joseph interrupts them and tells their future perfectly, only proving his divine power more.

Topic 2- 39-50
Joseph's character of genuine, forgiving, sympathetic, and an interpreter is evident in these chapters. After he interprets the Pharaoh's dream, and foresees the seven years of plentiful crops and food, and seven years of drought and famine, he is made the father of the Pharaoh, and the ruler of Egypt. His humble, humanitarian character is shown when he says, "It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer." Joseph does not try to receive credit for his ability to interpret dreams and tell what the future brings, he remains honest and in God's eyes, this is highly commendable. When the famine begins, many people come to Egypt because it is the land of bread. The deciciving, dishonest, selfish character of his brothers is shown when one of the brothers says, "No, my lord, your servants have come to buy food. We are all sons of one man. We are honest men. Your servants have never been spies."Be that as it may, they are extremly dishonest, lying to their own father about their brother's fake death, when in reality, they sold him. Something that struck me in this statement is that his own brothers, and his people of Egypt, call him "my Lord." This furthers his divine character and it is easy to see the power he withholds. After testing his brothers and making them go back to their lands to get the youngest brother, his compassion and love for his family oversees his regret and hatred towards his brothers for selling him. "I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life." Joseph's ability to forgive is very humane of him, despite his divine power. Joseph's first dream of his father and brothers bowing down before him took place and his divine God-like power is seen and practiced by his brothers.

Genesis 25-28, 32-33

1. There are many problems that arise from the first two born twins. They both battle each other for the acception of their parents. Isaac favors Esau while Rebecca favors Jacob. Esau's role is to serve Jacob because Jacob is the younger twin. Isaac and Rebecca seem to think that because they have twins, one parent should favor a twin while the other favors the other twin. This results in competition between the two brothers. They are very different which adds to the social problems between them. "When the boys grew up, Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man, dwelling in tents. Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebeckah loved Jacob."

2. The role of the parents, Isaac and Rebecca seem to be to start trouble and confliction between the two brothers. The fact that they favor one son as opposed to loving them equally shows their character. Rebecca is very vindictive and deceiving because she tells Jacob of Isaac's wishes to eat a meal of which he wants to be provided by Esau. Rebecca takes advantage of the fact that her husband can't see. Isaac says to Esau, "Behold I am old; I do not know the day of my death. Now then, take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field and hunt game for me, and prepare for me delicious food, such as I love, and bring it to me so that I may eat, that my soul may bless you before I die." Rebecca then goes behind her husband's back and says to Jacob, "I heard your father speak to your brother Esau, 'Bring me game and prepare for me delicious food, that I may eat it and bless you before the LORD before I die.' Now therefore, my son, obey my voice as I command you. Go to the flock and bring me two good young goats so that I may prepare from them delicious food for your father such as he loves. And you shall bring it to your father to eat, so that he may bless you before he dies."

3. I interpret this wrestling as Jacob's real chance to become blessed. He is given a new identity because of his quarrel with what seems to be god. "Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, you have prevailed." Jacob is certain that he has encountered god face to face and has been blessed by him personally. Jacob takes on the role of his father and his father's father by being blessed by the divine.

Genesis12, 16-18, 21-23

1. Abram becomes very skeptical and nervous for the outcome of the situation concerning his wife's beautiful appearance and his saftey. He acts this way because he thinks the Pharaoh will kill him in order to marry Sarah. Abram assumes that a man with such power would lack in ethics and only show concern for his own desires. Abram's mentality is judgmental because he acts without reason. It shows his true opinion on men in power and their selfish needs. It also shows intimidation twoards men in power, he feels he has to lie in order to keep his wife by his side. This is ironic because if the Pharaoh thinks that she is his sister he will obviously attempt to marry her. Abram had a much better chance of keeping his wife had he been honest. This says that one's encounter with another is almost always unpredictable. Humans judge very quickly and assume the worst of people without knowing them.

3. Jealousy, regret, and hatred all arise from the love triangle. Hagar has contempt with Sarah because she conceived Abram's child. Sarah has contempt with Abram as well,"And sarah said to Abram, "May the wrong done to me be on you! I gave my servant to your embrace and when she saw that she had conceived she looked on me with contempt. May the LORD judge between you and me!" Regret is evident because Sarah willingly allowed her servant and husband to have sex. She felt degraded when her slave looked at her with contempt. Gender plays a huge role in the story. The hatred women have for each-other is seen here. The social status of Sarah and Abram was very high and their slave Hagar was not, thus she got betrayed and sufferd. The only role of women is shown clearly in this chapter. Their role is to conceive, even woman are expected too for other woman. Women are forced to have children no matter how old they get in the story.

4. God tests Abram's loyalty with such a horrific test to see if he will disregard his ethics and morals to make God happy, as that is the best way for God to see Abram's true devotion to him. God needs more proof despite Abram's departure to Egypt because he has witnessed betrayal and has been lied to; he is the first to see dishonesty play it's role. This could say that Abram's relationship to the divine will never be fully there or committed because of the significant power God withholds. The relationship is that Abram does what ever it is that God tells him to, even if it's a sin, he must. Abram explains to Isaac that, "God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering.." and that is the reason why a human sacrifice shows Abram's true devotion and appreciation for god.

Genesis 4-9

1- The two themes of human passions relating to the society and the first attempt at religion are in correlation in these chapters. The feeling of wounded pride, anger, jealousy, fear, dread, death, crime, and punishment are all characteristics of Cain. Cain feels the first of these human characteristics. God doesn’t feel such traits. He isn’t fazed by jealousy, he has nothing to fear, and he has no reason not to have pride. This makes Cain even more alienated and human than god. God becomes fearful in these chapters. “And the LORD was sorry that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. So the LORD said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.” The last line is very powerful and I feel explains why we die, and why we aren’t meant to live forever. This could be the first time humans realize the power god posses and that we should pray to him so we don’t have the same fate as Cain. This was god’s way of holding is ground.

3- Cain was looking for a justifiable sarcastic excuse for killing his brother when he says, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” This is Cain’s way of saying that his brother is not his responsibility. This is a very nieve and dishonest reaction. He’s saying this acting like he doesn’t know where he is and that he was not appointed to look after him. When god says that Abe’s blood cried out to him from the soil, it’s symbolic because that is in fact where Abe was murderd.Also, Cain is a farmer and spends his days working on the farm. God uses this against Cain and says, “And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand,”

5- The fact that civilization rises from a murderer enfources the natural ways of humans and life. It magnifies the idea that death is a natural way of life and god’s only power that is left is time and death. Death is used as a weapon against man kind to ensure god’s power and strength. It is to remind us that life is short and will be taken at his coast. It enforces the idea that our feelings have the strongest input on our actions. Our jealousy, desire, and hatred are all ways of civilization. 

Genesis 1-3

Genesis Chapters 1-3
The first myth was a way of establishing male dominance.  

God created the first woman, Eve, from the first man’s rib. Also, the woman was created only to serve to the man as a helper, and to reproduce. God created women without giving them any real intention or self-interest. “Then the LORD God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” This is the foundation for the idea that women are secondary or not equal to men. The woman is the first one to succumb to the desire of eating from the tree of knowledge. The man is foolishly persuaded by the woman, thus giving up his male dominant trait, and power. Human Kind’s first social conflict is that of Adam and Eve.

The tree of knowledge was life’s first test that was presented to Adam and Eve.  I perceived it to be god’s way of testing human kind and seeing if they would succumb to desire. The idea that humans want what they can’t have is evident in this myth. Selfishness, jealousy, and desire are all presented. The knowledge of good and evil is forbidden to the point of death because of human’s inability to see bad situations in good ones, and good situations in bad ones. The pursuit of happiness is impossible to obtain because we are tied down by our hopes, dreams, and desires. Our own selfish needs present us from becoming one. Unity was never evident in mankind. Our curious minds lead us to the confusion and anxiety of life.

Knowledge is beautiful and powerful but it also opens a whole series of anxiety and problems. There are numerous huge problems in the world that we have knowledge of, see everyday, complain about, and hate. Although we have knowledge OF the problems, we don’t have knowledge on how to fix hem. Thus, the knowledge of good and evil evolving.

Their punishment is the beginning of the struggles of mankind. Irony is present because this myth was written thousands of years after this supposedly happened. My atheist-based analysis of these chapters is that this is really just a mental way of coping with the problems and struggles we face. Instead of taking responsibility for our own actions and feelings, we base it on a religious myth, which in my opinion is the ultimate problem of mankind, religion.  Human beings always want to understand that there is a justifiable reason for the pain we are faced with. Human kind’s first problems of desire, the inability to resist no matter the consequence, and the inability to obtain the knowledge needed to free ourselves from our problems still exist today. Another small point of irony is that the title genesis has the word genes in it, creating a scientific out look on the myth.