Art, Music, and Liturgy In the Early Church

Art was and has remained a large part of the church. Catacombs dating back to the third century were decorated with many scenes from the bible. Two main forms of art were mosaics and frescoes. Pagans were already known to create mosaics, but Christians made them better and more elaborate when they began making them. Gold leaf was even used in the mosaics to represent heaven. Although mosaics and frescoes were made, mosaics were mostly common in the Byzantine Empire, a wealthier area. Mosaics were made of many small tiles or “tesserae”, and frescoes were made of many layers of plaster with a final layer of color, or tempora. During the middle ages, stained glass windows were important, along with frescoes. Mainly because illiteracy was rare.

Music and liturgy was also a major part of the church, flourishing by the end of the fifth century. Christians had no place to worship, until Constantine built churches and buildings where they could do so. Pope Gregory I. who reigned from 590 to 604, had a big influence in music and liturgy. He organized all music that was composed to date into styles that could be used across the empire. The Gregorian chant or plainsong is named after him, and became the main form of music in the churches in the west. During this time, monks also were composing and writing their own music. Charlemagne was a big supporter of the Gregorian chant, and pushed for it to be predominant from 800 to the sixteenth century. Starting in the mid ninth century, a new aspect was added to church music in Northern Europe. Voices and harmonies(where polyphony comes from) were being experimented with, and added to ancient melodies. Next to be added, in France, was the organ. It was the cantus firmus or tenor, which meant that it was added above or below the main melody. The next big step for music was when Guido d’Arezzo invented musical notation. He came up with the four lines, and musical notes. This provided the foundation for all musical notation to come.

Education was also a part of the early church, although not many people were actually educated. Pope Gregory I. was not only influential in music, but he also created a school for boys. It was called the schola cantorum, and boys went to learn music and the liturgies. They performed in basilicas. Besides the boys, monks were the only educated class in society. They could read and write, as well as make art. They worked hard during the ninth and tenth centuries to handmake books for learning.

Art and music were truly instrumental in the evolution of the church and its worship. Art was very important for those who were illiterate, which was most people. It provided a way for them to see and understand the stories of the bible. It promoted admiration and wonderment in the church. The art and stained glass windows specifically were called the “Bible to the poor.” Music also did this for the people. It provided a new way of worshiping, and people were positively affected by it. After all, it still remains a bug part of worship today. Without educated people, music and art would not be around. The monks, who created the books and art, and the members of the choirs, provided the way for uneducated people to worship God alongside them. Although art created many good things for the people, it also created some less positive things. One of them being icons. Icon comes from the word eikon, meaning “image,” and existed mainly in the east. Icons were made of wooden panels, and depicted biblical people. They were looked at as spiritual portraits that could be used to communicate to saints through. These began to almost be worshiped, and were banned in the eighth and ninth centuries, which eventually lead to war. Monks were some of the people who respected the icons, and for this, were treated badly. This decade(762-775) was appropriately named the “decade of blood.” Eventually, icons were brought back(9^th century), but ended with the Fall of Constantinople. In the west, relics were popular and very similar. Relic comes from the word reliquere, which means “to leave behind.” In the mid fourth century, after a loved one died, momentos were saved from them. This lead to the cult of relics, where people bragged about what they had, and claimed they had valuable things. Relics were meant to remind people of whoever they got the relic from.

 

NYC Trip Version 2

This year for my birthday I got to do something very special. I got to go to New York City to visit my brother and see New York City Ballet’s “Swan Lake!” About a month before the performances, I was browsing on the NYC ballet website, dreaming about a trip to see the show. I talked to mom all about it, in hopes of being able to go. With my busy ballet schedule, it was hard to find a time to get away. Initially, I was told that I could not go. All my hope and excitement was washed away by the reality of my intense commitment to ballet. I cried tears of frustration. One day, though, my teacher called me over and told me that I could go, if I made it back in time for some of our last important rehearsals. My heart beat with excitement. Once again, all my fantasies and dreams rose up in my mind. I knew that I would need to tell my mom as soon as possible.

Luckily, there were still available tickets for Tuesday, September 22, 2015. We would be sitting in the fourth ring, right in the middle. We woke up very early on the Sunday before the show. About 4:30 A.M! We made it to the airport with time to spare. Our flights were smooth, and we safely made it to the New York airport. We were exhausted, but ready for a fun three day vacation. First thing, we took a taxi to Petey’s apartment in Brooklyn. We watched out the windows, taking in all the sights. He lives in a Jewish neighborhood, so there was much to look at. All the Hasidic boys and men with their hats, curls, and long black jackets, and women with their wigs and long skirts, made us feel like we were in a different time. Preparations were being made for the upcoming Yom Kippur, so everywhere we looked, there were people bustling around. Everything was written in Hebrew, so consequently we could not read anything. Right in front of Petey’s apartment, there were stacks of chickens in crates being bought and blessed. People would come to perform the ritual, and then carry on as usual once they were done. Of course, we were so happy to see Petey, and throughout the rest of the afternoon, we ate, sat in the park, walked down the streets, and got dinner at a yummy sushi restaurant. Our hotel was very small, but just what we needed. It was so special!

The next morning, we sat in bed for a little while, getting some work done. Once we were finally ready, we started our day. We hadn’t made it very far, when mom decided that I should get my hair washed, trimmed, and blowdried in a salon across the street. I was hesitant at first, but got into it once we were in there. It was fun to be spontaneous. After that, we stopped in to the Hagen Daas store, and got a delicious treat. We were planning on going to see Petey’s office in the One World Trade Center that night, so we decided to make our way there. After seeing the memorial, and walking around, we began to get hungry, so we found a nice little restaurant to eat at on Fulton Street. It was so delicious! Next, we went to the World Trade Center. It was an exciting experience being able to go into the large, shiny building. I felt like an insider, since we knew someone who had to specially let us in. After going through security, a man led us to a specific elevator, and we made our way up to the 37^th floor. Petey met us, and we went through the big glass doors that said “The New Yorker.” He gave us a tour of the rather large work space, and showed us his desk. Of course, I took many pictures, even when Petey was urging me to stop. This was probably a once in a lifetime thing for me, so I wasn’t missing my chance!   Petey led us back down to the entrance, and we stood outside the doors, talking about plans for the following day, our last day. I was standing there sort of listening, when I heard a voice talking behind me. I causally turned around, only to find Drew Barrymore! I managed to find the words to tell mom and Petey. My mom and I took some sneaky photos. Petey was annoyed, and wanted us to stop, once again, I ignored him. I was certain I would never be seeing Drew Barrymore again. I was starstruck, and sat pretty quietly in the taxi on our way to Rockafellar Center.

Once we made it there, we walked around for a little bit and did some sight seeing. We decided to make plans to go to the observation deck on top of the building. It was nighttime, so the city was lit up, and the view was astonishing. Sadly, I never got see Jimmy Fallon, but I did get to be in the same building as him!

The next morning, we got ready a little sooner, and got breakfast at our hotel once again. We took a taxi to MoMA. I had been there once before, but I was young. I really appreciated seeing all the art that I had seen in pictures and heard about. It almost felt inspiring. Petey met up with us after, and we went to Central Park. Although we didn’t have all the time in the world, we didn’t want to leave New York without visiting this landmark. It began to get later, and we knew it was time to get ready for the awaited ballet. Driving up to Lincoln Center was magical, and I felt so happy. All the pictures I had seen of this place would never compare to seeing it in real life. The inside of the building was just as grand, with the tall ceilings, and tiered balconies. I just kept thinking about the dancers waiting backstage, who were about to perform for us. I had been in that position before, so it was exciting to be on the other end of it. The sounds of the orchestra preparing warmed my heart, and I sat in my seat taking in the scenery.

The performance was upbeat, crisp, and entrancing. It flew by so quickly, that when it was over, I wanted more. The beautiful white swan costumes in front of the beautiful backdrops remained engraved in my mind. Seeing some of my favorite ballerinas was surreal. They were amazing, and seeing them made me realize just how great of dancers they are. I can only imagine being that good someday. To share this experience with my mom and brother made it just that much more special. I was so thankful that they were there with me.

Overall, I had a wonderful time. I will always remember this trip as being fun, special, and inspiring. It really was what dreams are made of. Not many kids my age or people ever get to do things like this.

Romeo And Juliet Response

Romeo and Juliet Close Reading

 

1. “Two households, both alike in dignity” (Act 1 Prologue)

 

(i) This is an Elizabethan sonnet. How many syllables are there in each line? There are ten syllables in each line.

(ii) A Shakespearean sonnet rhymes abab cdcd efef gg. A quatrain is a group of four lines; a couplet, two.

1. Explain how each quatrain has a unity, by examining the content carefully: each quatrain has a pattern of abab
2. What might have been the practical purpose of the couplet in performance?: To give the listeners time to take in the important information, and to draw their attention.
3. Choose six adjectives that prepare the audience for a tragic play. Which of these involve fate?: mutiny, fatal, misadventured, piteous, fearful, and death-marked are words that prepare the audience. Fatal, misadventured, and death-marked involve fate.
4. Why do you think Shakespeare avoided figurative language?: He wanted to set the stage for what the story would be like. Figurative language is used so much elsewhere in the story, so he didn’t use it in the prologue. Romeo and Juliet do not do what everyone else does, so they are opposite from everyone in the story.
5. In classical drama, the Chorus consisted of several characters speaking in unison. When Shakespeare employs a chorus, it is always one man. What dramatic advantage does he gain here by the simpler form?: This would cause the audience to focus on what the person was actually saying, rather than be distracted by a group of people.

 

2. “If I profane with my unworthiest hand”(Act1, scene 5)
3. This sonnet forms part of the dialogue. How does its rhyming scheme differ from the previous sonnets?: In the first four lines, the rhyming pattern is abab. In the second four lines,the pattern is the same, but the b lines actually have the same rhyming words as the b lines in the first group of four lines. The previous sonnets have new rhyming words for each set of four lines.
4. Which words establish the religious base of the argument and the figures of speech?: holy shrine, sin, devotion, saints, prayer, and faith.
5. How is the sonnet divided between Romeo and Juliet so as to suggest that a verbal duel is being fought out?: They go back and forth. He might say for lines, and then she says four lines. Towards the end, he says two lines, and then she says one to contradict him.
6. Romeo begins the first quatrain with a supposition: “If.” He ends it with a firm proposal. Explain how he uses figurative language to achieve his objective: Romeo compares his lips to two pilgrims, and her hand to a holy shrine. He wants to do with his lips what their hands do.
7. Juliet’s reply is witty – and modest, in that she deflects his proposal and withholds the requested kiss. Explain her argument: She says that touching hands is enough because when pilgrims touch saints’ hands it is a pilgrim’s way of a holy kiss.
8. In the third quatrain, the duel quickens up; question, answer, proposal again. Trace the ingenious logic: Romeo compares hands, saints, lips, and pilgrims to convince Juliet that is is perfectly good and holy to kiss.
9. The final couplet is shared; one line is Juliet’s, and the other Romeo’s. What is the verb common to both which enables Romeo to achieve his objective in a formal and logic way?: sin.

“Read o’er the volume of young Paris’ face” (Act 1 Scene 3)

1. This is a sustained metaphor. How many variations on the “volume” theme can you identify?: writ, pen, content, margent, book, unbound, cover, clasps, story.
2. The speech is built on rhyming couplets. Do you think the embellishment of rhyme (i) gives the passage distinction or (ii) emphasizes its formality and artificiality, or both?: It emphasizes how formal and uptight Lady Capulet is. She is one of the people in the story who speak like that all the time.
3. The line that follows (spoken by the Nurse) is coarse and unromantic. Lady Capulet deliberately ignores it. What was Shakespeare’s purpose in writing it?: The Nurse does not speak as formally as the Capulet family. She is in a lower caste, so Lady Capulet does not want to acknowledge her when she says something like that.

 

3. “O then I see Queen Mab hath been with you.” (Act 1 Scene 4)
4. This is a brilliantly set speech, but it is a response to a remark of Romeo’s about the wisdom of attending the masque. Romeo returns to the same theme (which the Queen Mab speech interrupts) at the end of the scene. Find these two passages to place Mercutio’s speech in context: (lines 48-49) Mercutio: “Why, may one ask?” Romeo: “I dreamt a dream tonight.” And (lines 106-113) Romeo: “I fear too early for my mind misgives Some consequence yet hanging in the stars Shall bitterly begin the fearful date With this night’s revels, and expire the term Of a despised life closed in my breast By some vile forfeit of untimely death. But he that hath the steerage of my course Direct my suit. On, lusty gentlemen.”
5. How does Mercutio establish Mab’s extreme smallness in the lines which conclude with “And in this state”?: he says she is not half so big as a round little worm, her carriage is a hazelnut, she comes on the noses of men, and she travels through lovers’ brains.
6. Mab seems to get bigger as Mercutio warms up. Which roles require her to enlarge in size?: physically she would have to be bigger to plait the horses hair, but her deeds also become greater as Mercutio goes on.
7. List the dreamers said to be visited by Mab during sleep. How are their dreams related to their work or interests?: lovers’ brains, courtiers’ knees, lawyers’ fingers, ladies’ lips, tithe-pig’s tail, parson’s nose, soldier’s neck, the manes of horses, elf’s locks. Mab does the deeds for the dreamers that will make them happy. And this usually has to do with their work or whatever is on their mind.
8. The pace of the speech quickens, too, as Mercutio begins a new phase in his descriptions. Where does that phase begin, and why do you think Romeo cuts him short?: It begins on line 86, when Mercutions starts explaining all the unpleasant things Mab does. Romeo stops him because he does not want to hear of all these things.
9. Which words used by Mercutio make dreams seem light and insubstantial?: idle brain, vain fantasy, and inconsistent.

 

4. “Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?” (Act 2 Scene 2)

These are some of the most memorable lines Shakespeare ever wrote because they largely foreshadow the love, passion, and dim fate of Romeo and Juliet and their love. They are beautiful, and prepare the listener for the story they are about to hear.

 

Jane Eyre Book Response

Jane Eyre Motif Essay

Georgia Manges

November 4, 2015

 

 

Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte, is a dark, gothic novel narrated by Jane herself as she experiences hardships and triumphs in life. Throughout the book, Jane has many otherworldly experiences. Most of these are sad, scary, and confusing, but they all seem to foreshadow something to come in Jane’s life. These dreams are an example of a motif in the story. A motif is a distinct or dominant idea in a literary composition. With every dream or experience Jane has, something from it ends up happening in her life.

Jane starts having dreams when she is a young girl. She is an orphan living with her aunt, who is not a kind woman. She experiences feeling her dead uncle’s presence in one of the rooms where she is being punished, and this fuels the flame for her disturbing dreams. Bessie, a servant in the home Jane grew up in, told her that when you dream of children, bad things will happen. When Jane has grown up and left her childhood home, she has one of her more prominent dreams. It is the night before she is to marry Mr. Rochester. She first dreams that she is walking down an unknown road carrying a bawling child, who I believe represents Jane’s new identity once she marries. She sees Mr. Rochester ahead of her and is trying to catch up with him. But no matter how fast she goes, she can’t get to him. The second dream is that she is carrying a child again. She is standing on the ruins of Thornfield hall. She again tries to see Mr. Rochester by climbing up a wall. The child is holding on to her so tightly that it almost strangles her. When she looks, Mr. Rochester has vanished and the wall crumbles underneath her and the child. To add on, Jane wakes up from this dream to see the deranged Bertha ripping her wedding veil in half. This is a representation that the wedding is not meant to be. After the wedding does not go as planned, just as the previous night foreshadowed, Jane is upset and confused.

She has yet another dream. She dreams of a moon goddess-like figure appearing. It tells her to “flee temptation.” When reading this, I interpreted the figure as being her mother. Mr. Rochester wants Jane to stay, although he still has a wife. Jane loves Mr. Rochester, but thinks better of herself than staying to be his mistress. She knows she deserves respect, and although it is very hard, ends up listening to her heart and dreams. She leaves Thornfield to be independent. This breaks Mr. Rochester’s heart.

Later on, a friend asks her to marry him to be a missionary’s wife. Jane argues that she does not want to marry someone if it is not for love, and stands up for herself. One night, when they are discussing the matter, Jane almost gives in. She then hears a voice calling out her name. It sounds much like Mr. Rochester’s voice, and her heart tells her that she needs to go to him. She doesn’t know if the voice was a dream, or if it was real, but she flees anyway. When she reaches Thornfield, she finds it in ruins. This connects us back to one of her first dreams, when this was predicted.

These are only a few of the dreams that Jane Eyre has. Most of them are troubling dreams. Jane’s dreams often involve children, and consequently, bad things do happen. But in the end, Jane is happy. Charlotte Bronte did a very good job of foreshadowing and following through with each motif, and that made the story very rewarding in the end.

My trip to NYC September 2015

This year for my birthday I got to do something very special. I got to go to New York City to visit my brother and see New York City Ballet’s “Swan Lake!” About a month before the performances, I was browsing on the NYC ballet website, dreaming about a trip to see the show. I talked to mom all about it, in hopes of being able to go. She told me that it was a possibility, but that it would be a big trip to try to get together in a short time. I understood, but still remained hopeful. As the weeks went by, I mentioned it a couple times, but no plans were being made. With my busy ballet schedule, it was hard to find a time to get away. About a week and a half before the time we would need to leave, I talked to Miss Karen. She expressed that she would like for me to go, but would have to look at the calendar, as we were getting close to our fall show, and I would need to make it to the final rehearsals. A couple days later, my mom and I emailed ballet. When we received the reply, I was devastated. We were told that since I would have to miss more than two rehearsals, it would not be possible for me to go. All my hope and excitement was washed away by the reality of my intense commitment to ballet. I cried tears of frustration. I went in to ballet the next couple of days feeling disappointed. I didn’t feel like talking to anyone, especially not Miss Karen. Until one day, when she called me over to her. She talked to me about the trip, and said that if I could work it out to only miss two rehearsals, I was free to go to see the ballet in New York City. My heart beat with excitement. Once again, all my fantasies and dreams rose up in my mind. I knew that I would need to tell my mom as soon as possible. We had already planned on not going, so if we really were going to go, we would need to make plans fast.

Luckily, there were still available tickets for Tuesday, September 22, 2015. We would be sitting in the fourth ring, right in the middle. Although, these were not the best seats, we didn’t mind. We were just happy to be going. We woke up very early on the Sunday before the show. About 4:30 A.M! We made it to the airport with time to spare. Our flights were smooth, and we made it to New York at about 12:30. We were exhausted, but ready for a fun three day vacation. First thing, we took a taxi to Petey’s apartment in Brooklyn. We watched out the windows, taking in all the sights. He lives in a Hasidic Jew neighborhood, so as we were driving down the streets close to his apartment, there was much to look at. All the boys and men with their hats, curls, and long black jackets, and women with their wigs and long skirts, made us feel like we were in a different time. Preparations were being made for the upcoming Yom Kippur, so everywhere we looked, there were people bustling around. Everything was written in Hebrew, so we didn’t understand anything. Right in front of Petey’s apartment, there were stacks of chickens in crates being bought and blessed. People would come to perform the ritual, and then carry on as usual once they were done. We were happy to see Petey, and were pleasantly surprised with where he was living. We stayed for about half an hour, talking, and watching the chicken scene from his balcony. Once we knew where we were going to go, we left for lunch. We were hungry, and the German meat restaurant hit the spot. After lunch, I even got to get some cereal milk soft serve ice-cream with sprinkles. It was tasty and cute! After we walked back, we decided to go to our hotel in West Village by Washington Square Park, and put our things there. Throughout the rest of the afternoon, we sat in the park, walk down the streets, and got dinner at a yummy sushi restaurant. We said goodbye to Petey and went to our hotel, which was tiny, but very cute and comfy. It was a great first day.

The next morning, we sat in bed for a little while, getting some work done. Once we were finally ready, we went down and ate breakfast at our hotel’s restaurant. It was the tastiest complimentary breakfast I’ve ever had. It was a hard boiled egg on top of a piece of toast with avocado on it. It also came with a small green salad. Mom and I got an apricot buckwheat breakfast cake to share. Once we were done, we went outside and started walking down the street. We hadn’t made it very far, when mom decided that I should get my hair washed, trimmed, and blow dried in a salon across the street. I was hesitant at first, but got into it once we were in there. It was so fun, and I was happy with my hair afterwards. We were shocked when we found out how much it would cost, since we thought there was a special going on. It was probably the most expensive hair cut I will ever have, and I enjoyed it! After that, we stopped in to the Hagen Daas store, and got a delicious treat. We were planning on going to see Petey’s office in the One World Trade Center that night, so we decided to make our way there. We took a taxi, and walked around for a bit once we arrived. We saw the memorial and enjoyed having nothing to do. We began to get hungry, so we found a nice little restaurant to eat at on Fulton Street. It was so delicious! I had gourmet nachos, and shared sweet potato wedges with mom. She got a salad, which was very tasty. As we were walking down the street, we stopped at a little bake shop and got the largest macaroons ever. We got one to go for Petey, and walked back to the World Trade Center. It was an exciting experience being able to go into the large shiny building. I felt like an insider, since we knew someone who had to specially let us in. After going through security, a man led us to a specific elevator, and we made our way up to the 37^th floor. Everything felt so deluxe. Petey met us at the floor, and we went through the big glass doors that said “The New Yorker.” He gave us a tour of the rather large work space, and showed us his desk. A couple of his coworkers were there, who we met and talked to. Of course, I took many pictures, even when Petey was urging me to stop. This was probably a once in a lifetime thing for me, so I wasn’t missing my chance!   Petey led us back down to the entrance, and we stood outside the doors, talking about plans for the following day, our last day. I was standing there sort of listening, when I heard a voice talking behind me. I causally turned around, only to find Drew Barrymore! I managed to find the words to tell mom and Petey. My mom and I took some sneaky photos, which Petey was annoyed, and wanted us to stop. Once again, I ignored him. I was certain I would never be seeing Drew Barrymore again, so I needed to take my chance! It was so fun listening to her conversation with her assistant and friend lady. She was dressed very cute, and looked just as I have always pictured her. I was starstruck, and sat pretty quietly in the taxi on our way to Rockafellar Center.

Once we made it there, we walked around for a little bit and did some sight seeing. I loved it. We decided to make plans to go to the observation deck on top of the building. Once we confirmed our time for 9:30, we had some time to walk around a little more. We went into a little bakery, and got some water, and when it was time, we went back. The view from the top was so cool. It was nighttime, so the city was lit up. It was also chilly up there, but we didn’t mind it. Once we got back to West Village, where out hotel was, we weren’t ready to go to bed just yet. We walked around the corner, and into an Urban Outfitters. I wanted to look for an outfit to wear for the show, and there would be lots of options there. Luckily I found one, but we put it on hold for the night. I got a bubble tea too, and that was delicious! After this, we were tired and ready for bed!

The next morning, we got ready a little sooner, and got breakfast at our hotel once again. This time I got the baked goods basket. It was fun to have a little assortment of things to taste. We went back to Urban Outfitters to pick up my outfit, and after this, walked around once again. We had fun seeing all the different sights and shops. Next, we took a taxi to MoMA. I had been there once before, but I was young. So it was nice

The Process of Becoming a Supreme Court Justice

There are nine members of the supreme court, and one of those spots is vacant since the death of justice Antonin Scalia. The remaining members are: Justice Clarence Thomas, Justice Anthony M. Kennedy, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Justice Stephen G. Breyer, Justice Samuel A. Alito, Jr., Justice Elena Kagan, and Chief Justice John G. Roberts. These justices and chief justice have been appointed onto the supreme court for life, or until resignation. Every member has been appointed by the President, and gone through the intense process of being interviewed. They have also had to go through a full-field FBI background investigation. The job of a supreme court justice is to make sure that laws and court cases are in check with the Constitution. When a court case is brought to the justices, they carefully choose whether to accept it or not, as they want it to have a strong argument two-sided argument. Once they choose a case, they read briefs, or written arguments, from lawyers who have already gone through the case.

 

The Development of Art, Music, and Education in the Middle Ages

Georgia Manges

History of The Christian Church

February 8, 2016

The Development of Art, Music, and Education in the Middle Ages

In the middle ages, before leaders like Constantine, Charlemagne, and Pope Gregory, all dedicated supporters of Christianity, the early Christian church was oppressed. Music, art, and education within the church could not flourish because Christians were being persecuted. In the 4^th century, when Emperor Constantine came into power, Christianity was legalized. Christians began to have the freedom to worship openly, and music and liturgy started being developed. Art in the newly built chapels and cathedrals became an instrumental way of communicating bible stories to the mostly illiterate people. The new vocal music accompanied the liturgies, and unified the people of the time. And education, thanks to monks, was provided to some in the monasteries.

During these middle ages, very few people were educated, and most were illiterate. When Pope Gregory created the schola cantorum, or school for music, some chosen boys were able to learn music. Monks were the only educated class in society at that time, so they were responsible for making books and illuminated manuscripts. (see figure 1) Illuminations were pictures with bright colors and scenes. Each book was individually handmade by these monks during the 9^th and 10^th centuries. Therefore, these books, each one like a work of art, were rare and not possessed by the common man.

When Constantine became emperor, he commissioned the building of churches where Christians could publicly worship. (see figure 2) Before this, there could be no development in music or liturgies because they had no place to do this or resources to use. The newly built churches had awe-inspiring acoustics, which motivated the composers. In the 5^th century, Pope Gregory also started a school, teaching boys melodies for music to accompany the liturgies. The Gregorian chant, or plainsong, was named after him. This was a way of singing that accompanied the liturgies. It was acapela, meaning purely voices. Later, harmonies were experimented with and added to the voices. By the end of the 5^th century, Pope Gregory conformed this music into the defined styles that can still be heard today. It wasn’t until the early 11^th century that an Italian monk devised the system of writing and recording notes on a musical scale that we still use today.

Constantine commissioned craftsmen and artists to create, decorate, and embellish every surface of the church. This was done to glorify God, therefore most of the art being created was religious in nature. It could be found depicting scenes from the bible and its characters. Even before churches were built as public places of worship, catacombs had art displaying bible scenes. Art in the church was created to inspire and awe the people, and help them feel the presence of God in the liturgies. It allowed the mostly uneducated people to be impacted by the important bible stories and teachings in a visual way. Two main forms of art in the early church were mosaics and frescoes. Frescoes (see figure 3) were more common, as they were less expensive. They used plaster, egg yolk and some color, and had to be done quickly, before the mixture dried. Mosaics were more expensive, so therefore, less common. They were pictures created from small tiles, often made of glass, and sometimes even used gold leaf to represent heaven and God. (see figure 4) Art definitely had a positive affect the people, but it also created some less positive influences, such as icons. (see figure 5) Icons, decorative panels or statues depicting Christ or the saints were thought to be a means of directly communicating to the saints. But in some churches, the icon itself became the object of worship. Eventually, icons were banned, but were brought back in the 9^th century. They finally fell out of favor with the Fall of Constantinople.

Art in the early church provided a way for uneducated people to connect with God and understand the bible stories, without needing to read. It created a wonderment in the presence of God, and was a very important part of the church. People needed it, and they also needed music. Music provided a new way of worshiping that became a crucial part of the church and the liturgies. We still use many of the fundamentals of music that were started in the early church. Without the monks in the middle ages, people would not have had access to books. The church became a place where the different classes could worship together, with no ranks of society setting them apart. In the 8^th century, Charlemagne, also known as Charles the Great (see figure 6), ruled over western Europe. He was a dedicated Christian, and he felt strongly that all worship should be done in one language, Latin, to unify the people. He requested for the pope to create a book of the liturgical prayers and, in Latin, called the Sacramentary, to be used in all the churches. The middle ages were a pivotal time in Christian history because of leaders such as Constantine, Charlemagne, and Pope Gregory. So important, that much of the art, music, and education from these times have remained today.

figure 1- the process of a monk writing a book

figure 2- St. John Lateran, one of the earlier churches

 

 

figure 3- a frescoe

figure 4- a mosaic

figure 5- a wooden icon

figure 6- Constantine/Charles the Great

 

Refugee Crisis in Syria

Refugee Crisis in Syria

Georgia Manges

9/25/15

There is a refugee crisis happening with the Syrians right now. Half of the country has been displaced, resulting in nearly 4 million refugees. About 250,000 people have been killed, 70,000 of them being civilians. The refugees are fleeing their country, in hopes of finding a safe home. They are facing hardships along the way, and people in other countries, including the U.S, Egypt, Germany, and other parts of Europe are scrambling to find a solution.

Syrians are leaving their countries for a multitude of reasons. The civil war that is taking place has created unbearable conditions. ISIS, a terrorist group also known as al-Qaeda, is constantly threatening the people in Syria, and Assad, the President of Syria, has his troops abducting, torturing and murdering the activists and even children. ISIS troops are entering towns and destroying them with barrel bombs, chemical weapons, and violently attacking the people. Over all, innocent civilians are being targeted.

The refugees that are seeking asylum in other countries face many challenges even before they’ve reached their destination. They have a lack of food, water, and medical services. While walking, they face being shot by snipers, and being caught by soldiers, who kidnap the young men for the regime. Many of the people are plagued with easily spread diseases such as cholera and polio, which are deadly. Ultimately, death is a common outcome for the refugees as they make the journey from one country to another.

Most of the asylum seekers are fleeing to countries like Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, and much of Europe. Many are especially escaping to Germany, which, so far, has been the most welcoming to these refugees. A large amount of these people are finding safety at refugee camps, but many are not happy with this, and therefore, continue walking to find another home elsewhere. And with every refugee camp being so full, the many displaced people are being turned away to keep traveling, despite their poor physical condition and exhaustion.

There have been many ideas and suggestions as to what can be done to help or deal with the millions of displaced people. Of course, donating money, food, water, and supplies is always helpful and much needed. But many people are thinking about taking much bigger actions. Some believe that the United States should be like Germany and take the people in. Others simply believe that the helpless, defenseless people should just be sent back to the country they came from. The former minister for international development, Andrew Mitchell, has suggested sending British troops to Syria to protect them in the “safe havens” created in their own country.

As Christians, we can pray for the millions of displaced, sick, helpless refugees in Syria, who are in search of safety. We need to be educated and know what’s happening in this situation in order to be able to know how to pray and what to pray for. We can be open-minded, and sympathetic for the asylum seekers, and know that these refuges are experiencing something horrible. We also need to continue to send first-aid and donations to these people who aren’t safe in a home, as these things will help the refugees in the meantime.

Response to Till We Have Faces, by C.S. Lewis

C.S Lewis’s “Till We Have Faces”

Response to Till We Have Faces, by C.S. Lewis

September 15, 2015

C.S Lewis’s “Till We Have Faces,” which was originally published in 1956, is a good fictional read about the account of the relationships between both humans and the gods, in the point of view of the Princess and later Queen of the fictional land of Glome, Orual.  The story is similar to that of Cupid and Psyche, about the overcoming of obstacles in love. Although my personal vocabulary left me confused with the book at parts, I enjoyed it very much.

I loved the many diverse characters that C.S Lewis presented throughout the story.  The book starts with the sisters, Orual and Redival, and Batta, their maid and nanny, being the featured characters. As Orual gets older, the Fox, their loyal teacher, is introduced.  As Orual’s love for him grew, mine did too.  In an excerpt from the book, Orual says, “I loved the Fox, as my father called him, better than anyone I had yet known.  You would have thought that a man who had been free in the Greeklands, and then been taken in war and sold far away among the barbarians, would be downcast…But I think what really kept him cheerful was his inquisitiveness.”  This theme remained with the Fox throughout the book.  Another favorite character of mine is Bardia, the kind captain of the troops, and steadfast friend of Orual.  All along, Orual was in love with him, but knew there was no hope, since she was ugly.

I enjoyed that the story was in the perspective of Orual.  She shared all her thoughts and feelings, good or bad.  I noticed that she became more like her father(stern, decisive, sometimes harsh), as she aged.  I wish that she wouldn’t have been like him as much, but in the end, she proved to be a good queen.  She struggled with her relationships with people, partially because she was very ugly, but also because she mistook loving someone for wanting to control or own them.  Orual realizes this in the end, ” ‘Oh Psyche, oh goddess,’ I said.  ‘Never again will I call you mine; but all there is of me shall be yours.  Alas, you know now what it’s worth.  I never wished you well, never had one selfless thought of you.  I was a craver.’ ”  I do wonder, though, if she actually received the beauty that Psyche brought for her in the end. Near the end of the story Lewis writes, “She bent over to lift me up.  Then, when I would not rise, she said, “But Maia, dear Maia, you must stand up.  I have not given you the casket.  You know I went a long journey to fetch the beauty that will make Ungit beautiful.” I believe this book is called, “Till We Have Faces” because many times throughout the story, references to faces and identities have been made. Maybe Lewis was using the faces and beauty on the outside of the characters to represent the beauty and character of the heart on the inside.

The book was definitely not an easy read for me.  After reading some sentences or even pages over again, I understood basically what C.S Lewis was trying to convey with the story.  I would definitely benefit from rereading this novel.  I think after reading it a second time, I would be able to pick up things I didn’t catch from the first time around, as I would already be familiar with the story line.  Just to get a feel for the way this story is written, here is a passage from the book, “This was the worst yet.  The Fox had taught me to think-at any rate to speak-of the Priest as of a mere schemer and a politic man who put into the mouth of Ungit whatever might most increase his own power and lands or most harm his enemies.  I saw it was not so.  He was sure of Ungit.”  Confusing, but not impossible, as I have found.

I am proud that I read the book, and even managed to enjoyed it along the way.  C.S Lewis definitely captured me every time I sat down to read.  With the diverse characters, and interesting point of view, this book was challenging, but rewarding.  I recommend “Till We Have Faces” to any mature reader.

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