11.04.2018
The King Arthur
Uther Pendragon is the first important figure. Until this point we talk about dragon a lot. Dragon means the evil. However in Arthur, The great king is pendragon. Pen means head, chief dragon, dragon has other meaning Draco means warrior. So, head warrior is pendragon. This is fantasy, the story was not real. So the family, the dynasty assumes the dragon as symbol. They have helmet in the dragon-ship.
Arthur around us is the saver. Legendary king is Arthur. The story is exaggerated.
Thomas Mallory’s le morte D’Arthur
He wrote this book to bring people together. This story included the values of the 15 centuries’ chaotic , conflicted period, and the story orally talk after the 15-16 centuries.
The aim of this book: Its written because of the Education; learn how a king should be or a warrior, you will be a good christian or you will be a good person. We should do the good things, we should avoid the evil things, we will have good name and good reputation. This is why we should read this book.
516: the registry says, the battle of Badon.. what kind of a man Arthur. He is a religious man. Name of the god. Because he did this, hateful beat their enemies. Rostam, Oguz did it for god. Regardless of religion the concept is that. Fight for god. Arthur is same.
537: Arthur’s last battle. He was like the binder of order. When he is gone, order gone. When you have a good thing, everything is good and everyone is in peace.
Nennius, historia brittonum
He introduced the Arthur 4 to us. The Mediterranean olması lazım, yazanlar dogru değil.
He mention king Arthur as dux (dude) bellorum (war) so means lord war in England.
Geoffrey of Monmouth
This story covers large spend of time not only Arthur. (12 century): Britons comes from the king Brutus. He is the first king of the Britannia. The British passant or merchants and nobles kind of the intellectual. This kind of intro is a history words, you find the all cultures. The whole things are more credible. For example, Aşıkpaşazade (ottoman) he saw the book and he wrote it down so they say well why don’t you copy this. He rewrote very ancient information. Same idea.
King Gorlois and Queen Igraine
(Uther disguises king)
The story start in Tintagel Castle. The castle is isolated and its advantages and disadvantages: both: the castle is advantage for them because hard to conquer. Defending it it is a great advantage. very hard to landsite. Sea makes it quiet impossible to conquer. Best protected castle in England. impossible to get or entered the castle without permission. Very hard to get close too because of the sea. Disadvantages: hard to trade and communication. When King Gorlois went to war he get their wife behind. He is a good commander, warrior, king.. Castle is impossible to entered: the solution: Heroes are always have companions. Uther has a human companion, a wizard. Our old age heroes have a one wizard companion. He is a good friends, Merlin. He is a wise man ever. Why should he help other get somebody’s wife because he predicted that other and queen Igraine’s children are good for Britannia. He has the powerful prediction because he is a wise man. He transforms other in the lord war. They came to castle the guards open the door and they see the king and welcome they make love King Gorlois (Uther) says I have to go back to war. 10 min later the soldier come and says your husband died. They realize this was the trick the man he is not the lord war and she becomes the wife of the Uther. This is the from the history de Merlin. He conception was extraordinary. He was promise to world to be the hero. Merlin has something to gave him, he makes other promise to raise him in such a way able to solve problem of Britain. Usually when kids 7 years old they are given to maternal uncle. They were raised by the uncle.
Other way to the court, Arthur’s brother is forgetting sword at him so they send Arthur to house at the sword nobles in house and Arthur not get the sword and he become sad. He saw another sword in the rock and he gets it. When they saw that he get the sword, they shocked out and they want him to retake the sword and he did. After that he became the king. This is the prophecy of the sword. The person who makes it out of this rock will be the king of the whole of Britain. He became to the king another extraordinary thing is this person is the chosen one.
12 battle he has as coincidence. 12 is the important number because astrological 12 horoscopes. Other things to related to 12 the disciples of Jesus there are 12 of them. 12 gods of Olympus. He have 12 knights around table. 12 month in calendar. He won the battle with the help of god. Round table: talking of the legacy, same hero in the nation. Why the table is round? Represent the equality, all people that sitting around the table are equal, everyone as valuable as other one.So, they are a team like brotherhood. That’s why the table is round. The head of the table is middle that is empty because it has a function too. The king is the one of the other knights. The conception is extraordinary. He is a typical hero. He raised far from his family, he is administrating the country, he has a round table. Also, he has the companions. Nobility marries nobility. So, Morgawse and king got they going to figure important they have the separate adventure but the
Knights
Gawain is the good friend, he jumps on the situation, thinks not much.
Gaheris travels very easily. Most human character of the story, Gareth the youngest one.
Elaine is the other aunt. She is the daughter of king Gorlios. She wants power at time. We see her skimming against Arthur try to kill him and be the king. She is the enemy of Arthur.
Sir Gawain: He is try to encourage the soldier into this. (you who have…) he refer to Arthur and his arm (you died) you are the soldier of god for your nation and your companions. Pagans: saxons. So, if they killed your companions they will be an everlasting reproach to you. If the Saxon kill your countrymen your are responsible you have not protected you country. You have to protect your county. You can die but you should die willingly because its for your countries good and you go to the heaven. We talk about your back that you are the hero. Jesus Christ put his on life on the table and he died, protect us from evil. Sacrifice self. Just put your self on the battle and died your sins go to the heaven. He said that when they died in the war, they are send to the heaven automatically but there are not any proof that a person who died in war and is send to the heaven. Why do we say it for thousands of years? encourage soldiers to die, it’s not a easy job. Its a way of comforting us. If they do not say it, no one want to come to the war. These kind of giving hope and feel makes them comfortable.
(arthur himself put…) Relating to Arthur: preparing self to battle, pendragon he is the dynasty of pendragon, rostem have leopard skin. This is very loaded meaning, shield is the unique to him. (Pridwen) I should become companion, he is doing what every he does. Seeing this image
Why knights are virgin may all the time? In battle is very easy to use yourself. You could do nasty things. Hurt innocent people for example. When we see the religious image, I’m doing this for protect my people. You have to keep on the good side not the evil side. So, she is pure and she is the one who is ask to penet. Prepares you psychologically to battle. Getting the right psychological condition to kill.
He is doing to god and god gives the power to kill the enemies. We read the things in Oguzname or Shaname. such immense skills, military minds.
Similarly in Gawain: why he choose the Lucius. Man of the great courage. Gawain win in the end. Easy to kill someone who is powerless. The way of life in 12 century. The period without war, games are organized and they fight (battle). You fight with different opponent till the failure.
Battle of Camlann
Biggest adventure of the story. Avalon, Arthur’s nephew who hates Arthur and still his wife. He achieves the kill Arthur at the end of this battle. So, we are waiting him to come. The 12 immense the 12 disappeared and someday they reappeared. So, the idea of this disappearing the saver who is going to come back and save us all. Its again the basic human whole. Save us whole.
12.04.2018
Sir Lancelot is a complex character that is not in the original oral traditional story, he was added later. The first time when we see Lancelot. The best night in the world because now Arthur is king, he cleans British from saxons. So, our champion is Lancelot at this point. King Arthur has a feast. Lancelot become the member of the table and the best friend of Arthur. He is womanizer, good fighter but he has a weakness.
He is the son of king Ban of Benwick. So we know that he was military skills and he is noble. He is adventures. Whats happening on the picture? The baby is taking away because the castle is concerted and burn down. So his parents died in that fight. The typical heroic life cycle. Somebody is saving the baby by these mystic ladies otherwise he will killed. The priest raised him up, everyone is not christian there are some pagan things. This is the christian priest. In this village, there is a castle and here there is a lady. He has to liberate this young lady. Lancelot jump into the situation. Goes to the room takes the lady and he can easily do this. Save her. He is special, chosen who save the world and England. There is a big serpent. Serpent is hidden in a tomb. on the tomb there is a letters of golds. (Here shall come a leopard.. ) he slays the serpent this is a prophecy. Engender (giving life). He is going to father again a special baby. This baby is strong and is a lion. Lancelot will be the best knight in the world. his child is going to be even better.
He is obsessed with the queen. The grail in the castle. He comes to the door of the castle. He believe that he is the best knight. He going in there are lions that protect the castle. He should fight with the lions. So he just runs to its arms gets ready to fight the lions. A dwarf appear suddenly and hit him on the arm. He thanks god i have sin so much but you protect me and you not give up on me. So he takes up his sword. Approaches the lions . This is the lion story like Behram gul. its the same story. Lancelot does not deserve the price. But Behram gul deserve the price. He knows all this before. He saw a dream. In his dream, he sees the grail but he can not touch it.
Miniature of Lancelot
The knight fight for the honor of the lady. The lady give the scarf to knights. The husband know about this. Somebody is competing in the name of wife. You feel honored. There is no problem here. The problem between Lancelot and : they are not get physical. This is the problem because if they have a baby there is going to be a huge problem. The queen can not cheat because the succession. It’s punishable, serious crime. You are not only cheating a man you cheating the king. Its quiet dangerous. At some point, feel guilty, Genevere is not love anymore, he goes crazy and he goes to the savage. A princess find him and she love him. She is the Charlott. When Lancelot abandon her, she feels died. The girl in the river. Lancelot feels devastated. The one version of the story. An earlier version is, Morgan place a trick she staying in this castle, she sends him a poison. She gets kind of drunk.and he things that she is the Genevere. He wakes up and find that she is not Genevere. poor girl not understand what happened. He wants to kill her. He is not a clever man. Arthur and Lancelot fight and Lancelot leaves court. What happens to Genevere. She is put on trial. There is a several ways of trials. Remember Syavush: she is guilty and Lancelot comes and save her. Lancelot wins. this gives a break between Arthur and Lancelot. Arthur goes to war but Lancelot not joint to him but when he want to help him its too late Arthur died already. Arthur is dead but he is not dead. He is guilty. they can not bear to look at each other.
(Ah madam..): Lancelot attention to other ladies. This is not the situation. You must excuse for several reasons. I was late it took me along time the quest but I saw the grail I was in the quest. He could achieve the grail, I couldn’t get the grail because of you because I love you. Its because I couldn’t achieve this. He is trying to say iI love you, but here, he is actually blaming her. Moreover, I could not achieve my goal because of dad too. I didn’t want there willing there your husband send me.
(Also madam..): people start to gossip.
(And wit..): I will hate to see you dishonored. So, Genevere is quiet jealous because she is the favor among ladies. He is at least trying to convince her love. Lancelot stands on the picture and queen and king watch him. She listen all these explanation and she says, she understand that Lancelot, now I well..) she says that you are the trickster, you love the other ladies and you hate me. Seni gozum bile gormesin daha. seni bu courttanda atıyorum. (saraydan atıyorum) he is out of favor. Because he told it all she could understand a big. nothing. Their relationship is upside down. Sen beni istemezsen ben seni hic istememe geliyo ilişkileri.
(But nowadays men can not..): It’s written in 15 century. Bizim zamanımızda oyle hissederdik ki simdikiler 7 gun bile duramıyorlar. Bir kızısıyo ve anında soguyo. Bir iyi bir kotuler. Ama bizim zamanımızda oyle degil. They are in love, such a big love. It’s always in our mind.
Last paragraph (therefore all ye that..) she could have a good end. She separate his lover, castle gone, and her husband is dead, life is a monastery.
Conte del Graal
The crucifixion: Jesus, he is on the cross. The virgin Mary wear the white dress. Under the picture, lamp is scaring lamps symbolize the people and the Jesus. Symbolize the Original sin that was the holly grail. The blog of Jesus which was direct the religious ritual who took the cup with the blood the legend goes that the cup is a special. It has a feelings, this cup is going to heal. Everyone try to find the cup to have an eternal life. Some people believe that this is the source of eternal life. This is more philosophical and spiritual perfection. This is our cup and no body are seen. Capped by a man called fishery, it is in a palace. So this is the story.
Lestriore del saint Graal
This is very typical medieval words.
Our main characters that are the knights around the round table. The key does not participate on the quest. He waits them. Organization rather than military. Presented as an example of what you should not doing. He will not achieve the grail. They are not simple. You should not have kill even the bad guy, no blood on your hand. Beats everyone, fights them but never killed. Sir Bors try not to kill. Sinless, virginity.
Sir Galahad, he is virgin, chased. A quest is not just an adventure this is a purpose here, unexpected stuff the adventured sonar given Adam olmuyo degisiyo. He learn something in here, more knowledgable not about the destination the adventure of other knights are equally important.
Sir Gawain
He is a warrior. He has not a specific castle. He is not religious. He is very open to challenges. Green knights is the important story of him. He doesn't think he does something then he thinks. He is quick temper at the end he conflict with Lancelot , because of the Camelot. He realizes his sins and he comes to the point and be religious man.
Uwain-maidens Castle
There is a castle maidens in prisons. 7 evil knights. Good knights find the castle, Galahad goes first and gets the maidens out he doesn’t kill them. Young girls all virgin trap somewhere and great heroes save the girls from the evils. They are pure, virgin. pure sons in the world. They are innocent. Why 7? They present the 7 sins. They saving from the 7 knights this is the spiritual reason. So Galahad in a way being parallel with Jesus. and he doesn’t kill anyone.
Sir Bors: not very clever but sweet, cousin of Lancelot.
Sir Perceval: chased hero. Huge animal wild lion. Why doesn’t the lion hurt. He is so good and lions do not hurt. Th lady on the lion and the lady on the dragon. Lady on the dragon is the evil one and other is the good one. There physical appearance.; innocent she looks younger and other one looks old. She looks more conservative. In this dream, the dragon lady seduce him. In the end one of them presented, the god and other devil. Kind of story. Then, god will protect you. You will not defeat it. This is the perfect example that link with Shahnama.
Sir Galahad: main hero the ultimate hero of the story. Legend mention him that was the best knight in the world. That knight happen to be Galahad. Prophecy sit would be the one achieve the grail.
The image of the table. Galahad is middle of the picture but not on the table. Attention directly to him. The other seats are identical his seats is more pronounced. Where is the king, he is on the right tacı var.
All the knights are around the table and somebody comes and says " sir, there is here beneath..” On there (buyuk harfle Ryazan yazı) this sword is reserved, sir Lancelot will be the get best knight an other version of the prophecy. He read this and King says to Lancelot: you will be the best knight of the world. Lancelot responds: he fail and Arthur said to Gawain “try it” and Gawain got shocked. He says that save your good grace I shall.. kusura bakma kral ama bu iş yaş diyo. the king said I command you Lancelot. When Lancelot understands the situation and said: sen biliyosun diyo. buna dokunursan basına oyle seyler gelicek ki sana butun ulkenin en iyi satosunu verseler ben buna dokunmam diceksin yoksa pişman olursun dokunduguna. because he is not Gawain. he could be a best rider or user of sword ama bu digil. Gawain try and fails. percival a hatırım icin yap diyo oda kabul ediyo. he is not commander he is requesting that personal reasons. respect for king arthur. If sir gawain is suffer ı will suffer. I will not get alone him. The si the knightly brotherhood. so they go back and yemek yiyip içiyolar. and in this feast a man come. This young man he is the son of Lancelot he is the best. masaya oturmaya baslıyo. They sitting down and then there is a thunder. the place is falling apart for the earthquake. the sunshine symbolize the holly ghost that is the announcer. They were shocked. This light shine each of them more beautiful. They looked at each other that try to understand. Sunlight comes to grail and suddenly whole table gets full of foods and Grail suddenly disappears. Everyone get shocked again. So, the grail comes with his abundance. He is the miraculous character.
Nacien: After the grail, a wise man came and said that great worshipping was happen. now, you are going to go to quest. Nacien says this. Some of them can not come back when they go to the quest because the can be going to die. For example, the quest may with dragons or feasts..
Gawain yine ortalara atılıyo ve digerleri onu izliyorlar.
The picture of the arming and departure..: whole cycle has been depicted. They are not riding place holy grail scape. They have suppose to learn.
The picture of failure…: Each of them is going to different trial. They try to get in but they can not. They understand that we will not able to do this.
Said the hermit unto Sir Gawain
He has a dream on the way. In the dream, he is a middle, three of them are different. He is interpreting that dream; you should be humility and patient (but Gawain not). Fraternity: brotherhood. Patient and humility these characteristics are not Gawain and Uwain. They did not have these. And they took proud and black that three of them not like this.
What about the three: out of these three other, two are white and third one had spot. Lancelot and Gawain has a problem.
At the end, the vision of holly grail: these three knights are Galahad who is the kneeling to the holy grail. He prays. Grail can not found anymore. Galahadın baska Bir resmi daha var. here the artist draw the grail as a flower, not an object. Then, Galahad is send to the heaven, they forgive him
Merlin and the giants building Stonehenge
Merlin was the greatest wizard. He ordered a giant. Merlin fell in love a young sources. she was the companion for a while. According to belief, Adam still lived in the forest.
26.04.2018
(Indiana Jones- Son Macera)
What is a hero?
Epic hero who kills a something strong creature like dragon. Have companions, motivation (indiana has a motivation that he want to help his father). Indiana jones series Arthur’un gunumuz versiyonu. Indianada arthur gibi kimseyi oldurmuyo. Why are we watch the film? Holy grail. Archetypes remain through about the ages. The arch. are same but in the 17.yy of same religious purpose in 20yy. War between Usa and Vietnam and the film is created after the war. We have to clear our souls. The evil is present and the good is dead so we have to fight with evil.
02.05.2018
Alexander the great
Alexander is a hero u there is a different from other heroes. He is real. The king of the Macedonia managing the country and bfs of the small they were excluded from some of the activity form other cities. Like olympic things. Minor kings of the Greece. Philip brought some reforms before him there is not a bureaucracy. He and bureaucrat they came together. They gather until Philip and Philip become commander. He changes this all. If you want to to be powerful among others, more soldiers and more army. it means powerful army. This is not necessarily. The need a powerful leader and Philip turns to be a powerful leader. He organized something. They need to an organization. He organized the army, solider. So he makes a military reform. He has different military tactic. For example, solider divided into two and they fight from left and right. So, he does that too. To be more powerful, he makes political connections. First of all marriage. He goes to the marriage business with a powerful princess. He married with S.. Marriage is as a tool to be come more powerful. Trade, eliminate the rivals these are also important for being powerful. How to state communicate, ambassador. Diplomacy is another tool. He has the money and power. Now he needs something show that he is the best, leadership of whole greek that people respect him. Another state that is Apollo and Delhi is important. This is the center of prophecy. You go to Delhi and ask to the profit oracle tells you the prophecy. The oracle says that if you got to the war you are going to the destroy. He eliminated his rivals, wars and king of becomes hegemony. States as a league all of them has a different king but Philip is the head of these kings. Pitying games organize every years for Apollo. This right is passing father to son. This guaranties the position for Alexander. The aristocrats, what about them. Should he continue with them or not Philip starts with aristocrats but now does he have to develop with them? When he became powerful, they are not with him. They might conspire to you. how he avoid this? How do you replace them? he might send them far away. Exile some how they send them exile and he might put his own man to their place. For example, he has to put soldiers to their place or relatives from minor class. After that, he has to promote them slowly. so, you create a person who is nothing before his/her new position. Because of that they become loyal. This is the common tactic for different kings in history. Today, the politicians also use this as a political strategy. Macedonians love Philip. He is all this that makes him Macedonia’s king and the first king of the Greece. Who is the greatest enemy? Persians attack and Greece manage to push to enemy. Philip has bigger vision. He wants to be powerful. Philip conquers Persia to get rid of them. He has a big dream that he wanted that Persian and their lands are joint to Macedonia. Between these two countries, there are many many kilometers. If he can not achieve, he knew that Alexander would achieve. However, he has to be educated by Aristotle who became Alexander's tutor. Having a tutor is an important characteristic of being a hero. He stated in Macedonia and this was the training for him. He found it Alexanderapolis at the young age.
Creation of the league of Corinth, Philip becomes the leader. It unified the greek states under the league. Is Philip realize his dream? He can not. He was poisoned. After that Alexander became the King and he became also the leader of the league of Corinth.
Darius was the Persian king and he was a good king but he would not stop the Alexander. Alexander manages the army and he organizes the campaigns. They go to in western Asia minor. Halicarnassus: he part to the Bodrum. Legend said that this notes protected Asia from invaders. Which is sign that he is the world, universal leadership. Army starts to pass Persia. They conquered Iraq area like Babylon. the Syria lands and in Egypt, they found Iskenderiye. Persapolis the capital of the Darius. Darius 3 married local princess like his father. Sword makes you king to specific places. Princess means the legitimacy. They win everything, but there is a problem that is campaigning for a long time. During 3 years, they fight and the majority of them are died. They also died because of the epidemic. Another reason that they want to go back to the country is being commander of their lands. They have lands and they want to go back and take care of their lands, sell their products. You work on you land, produce and go to the war again. Secondly, they going to east and east and east. The idea of going to east scare them. They did not know where the world end. They felt like they going to darkness. For example in east there are beastly bodies, monsters and these creatures are going to eat them. After listening these complaints, Alexander said that they can go back to the country but he will continue to go to the East. Some of them go back but others stay. First of all, they go to India. The biggest reason for Alexander's success, he did not change the local. He went ahead with the places where he conquered. For example, when he conquered Egypt, he became the pharaoh or when he conquered the Persia, he became the Shah. This strategy does not remark the local people because it doesn't matter who you give taxes. The only important thing is that person who comes to the head hurts them or makes them bad. They do not see him and it doesn’t matter that his name is Alexander. Because of that Alexander behave locally. another problem, bigger problem is that some of them don’t want to go to the east but some of them stay. In India, he rites elephants for example, he defeat the Indian armies. There is several accounts some says poisoned, some says he too much alcohol, disease because of that like cirrhosis. Some says he got a cold and died all of these probabilities. Greeks has different architectural style, science, art,..
300 BC, we call it hedonistic age in the ancient world. The world kind of became together the east and the west. Alexander is unique and everyone know him. İmage of Alexander: most cliche portrait, he is young. He did all this by the time he cam to 30. So he is always represented young and handsome man. This is from Hellenistic time. All of our heroes they have some kind sign they are different from others. Alexander one eye is blue and other black. Genetical anomaly. The sign of he is special. This is the early renaissance fiction of alexander. Still he has a young face.
His other heroic characteristic is that he had a companion like other heroes. He had a horse whose name was Bucephalus. When he was a teenager, he needed a horse, this horse was Bucephalus. He got the horse and he did not fall. Again he is the chosen one. He was always with Bucephalus that the animal was special.
This is an inscription. Block from the wall of the temple pf Athena: the donation to the temple. Alexander makes gift on temples where he goes. This is the one of them.
The map: this represents his ways. Under those conditions, he did this with a great army. Organization is important. He is never defeated.
Giovanni Palo: Achilles was his hero. Alexander respects them.
Picture 2: This is alexander. Cutting the guardian . This is such a insolvable situation.
Picture 3: he is showing the citadel that ı done this.
Picture 4: hedonistic representation of war.
Picture 5: Albrect Altdorfer: life size painting. (1529). German painter and he is protest. On the picture, east and west fight with each other and East represents the Ottoman (Muslims) This resembles the fight of Alexander and Darius. After the period of Alexander this is the used metaphor. The Ottoman armies went Vienna siege. The ottomans states at Vienna for 15 days. The aim of the ottoman is that they jam the Ferdinand. However, he did not here and ottoman go back. every European interpret this event as a defeating. This picture symbolize this event according to European. Alexander defeated the Darius and we defeated the ottoman. Here we see again the fight of east and west.
When the picture is close near, we can see Alexander according to his cloths. In 300 BC, a king or a knight wear like this in Europe. Because of that he directly replace it to its time. Here, there is a chaos. Darius and Persians wear “sarık”. So, they wear like ottoman. The painter replaces himself to Alexander’s side. When we look at the ottoman’s writings, Safavids are Darius. This is used metaphor in this period.
The plate from above; this represents that the plate come from above with the help of God. Sun rises from behind. And the moon represents the ottomans and the moon goes down like ottoman. Going down the moon represents the ottoman's being defeated and rising sun means roman empire’s rising. This is a win from above with the help of God. On the plate, how many people died is written in war this is a historical paint.
Artifact: small jug: one of the proofs that Alex is there. For our other heroes, they are fiction but he is not. He lived and is a commander. This represents this idea.
This is the famous Alex sarcophagus: It’s the depicted from seems from his campaigns. The teens Alexander a reflection of this king (Sidon)
03.05.2018
(the video of alexander the great)
He is conquerer, he is unbeaten. He rewarded someone. For example, he give position to the Persian aristocrats. He was good to his friends. He is compassionate when necessary and he is cruel when necessary. arrogance, over pride. He was too vane. He is arrogant.
(The video of The Battle of Issus)
This shows the success of Alexander. He defeat the Persian even having less soldiers. Probabilities are low but he defeated the enemy. His soldiers are less than Persian. He defeated a powerful enemy. This is one of the most important characteristic of being a hero. He was a good leader.
(Iron Maiden)
It gives you all info about him. everything how he died and what Alexander done. Elephants vs Alex aiders’s horse. He’s still look good even the long campaigns. Cultural cliche, he lived in thousand of year. (fiction)
Deeds of Alex the great: he died middle of the campaign.
* Western traditions: French or German, each culture talk about Alexander according to their own culture.
According to French culture: they mentioned Alexander more romantic.
East and west cultures are different and they mentioned differently. The story was translated into Spanish, english, Russian,.. Also, there is a version of Shahnama.
example: ahmedi: ottoman version
Fantasy over fact: how much of reading fantasy or how much is fact. In the adventure of Alexander, recognize which one is fiction or which one is real, this is difficult.
Story vs history: during the time period of middle ages. Story in latin cultures. Story as history world did not differentiate in middle ages. They are same thing.
Contextual layerings: we had 4 context that we analyzed the text: settings, themes, time and this is also important for making contextual layerings.
Time: For Alexander, they wrote 4 BC. All what we are reading supposedly reading? Macedonian king is hegemonic in the Greek world and they conquered Asia. So, for example, if we saw that Alexander goes to the church we have to understand that this is fictional because this is not belonging to 3 or 4 BC. We do not call it as fact. We have to understand when the story passed.
2. Period it was composed, written: maybe these are the thoughts of the person who placed on record because in 3 BC, paper is not found. The story is told from mouth to mouth. This is an other perspective. In the middle age, these kind of stories are written again and the writer’s point of view and social status are important. For instance, eastern and western writers wrote it differently. When Firdevsi write the Shahnama, he writes unintentionally as fix layers according to his own culture and society.
Atemporal mythic: here, we can not talk about a specific time. For instance, here, there are the talking trees. This is out of our time that we know. This is another layer. When we read this, writer asks some different questions. however, writer who is in 14 century ask different questions from other period of time. People interpret the story which period of time the audience listen.
These all layers come together and we understand the whole text. (4)
09.05.2018
Alexander the great: the mythical Alexander
Map: this is the way that he travels the places he conquered and the battles he had.
Yazı: one is the western story and the western Alexander is written by roman writers. There are Dragons, sights from god. other warriors’ story and take as the model. In eastern, they again original at first and then mythical elements of east. First such written was Shahnama and other is Nizame, he kind of elaborate the story and the Alexander represents a islamic hero.
The both is belief in god coming to the front. Both versions try to see each tradition try to interpret the story according to belief of culture.
Alexander romance: this first sentence tell you in general; bu insanların hangi kavramıyla ilgili bi fikir cıkarabiliriz. About time. There is sense of time. Do we know when the world into came. So, this probably from bible. When the world coming to being some billion years ago. Our concept of time and there concept of time very much limited. Long time ago has change. Long time a go millions years. You Can just our world keep expanding with the concept of time. He gives us the precise time. 5136.
How did Alexander came to be born?
Philip gave birth to the Alexander. We thought he is the son of Philip. This Ektanebos is the king of Egypt why the Alexander be offered and a legitimate son of the Egyptian king. This makes him legitimate ruler of Egypt. How this makes him the king of Egypt? Ektanebos goes to Macedonia and sees the queen. However, the queen has a problem, she can not get pregnant from Philip. A Magician came to solve this problem and he gave the solution that is a miracle. An angel and a devil came to you in night but these are not real. You are gonna be in dream. Next day, when you wake up you are gonna be pregnant. This was happening and she has the dream this angel looking like a devil. so this devil makes love to her and don’t tell about anybody. and she get pregnant. a sleeping poison. This was a secret. she doesn’t know what happened. This is the western version.
In east, Here there is again a legitimacy. Philip’s daughter is giving marriage with Darius’ father and goes to Iran and sleep together and Darius father feeling smell from her and doesn't like. And he try to find solution. Makes her posting and the smell gone also he has gone too. After that Philip came back but the girls find out that she get pregnant. This was a scandal. So Philip just says okay don't worry, keep this as a secret. Nobody sees your pregnancy.
Legitimation: he is the ironic side and greek side. Philip is grand father and the brother of Darius of shah. The story comes out his move like an invention.
In both version, is about legitimation.
There is an omen during his time of birth. There were bright stars at the movement of birth. A specific lining, constellation which from his conquered the world. "Sahip kıran” that is a title of several eastern world. This was about the Constellational. He was born under that conjunction.
1st image; moment of born.
2nd image: Philip is the king and introduces him to his court
3rd image: he has a dream when he is young and the dragon that get closer to him.
4th image: is about him that is getting his horse. Its like a unicorn. Some says this is a bulls head. No one could there hand the horse it ate them all. however, Alexander was not satisfied and he loved the horse. He became Alexander’s horse whose name is Bucephalus. In Shahnama, Rostem is getting Raks and here, Alexander is getting the Bucephalus. This is a sign that he will rule the world.
* The status of Alexander and his horse. This is a Hedonistic representation of Alexander
After his father killed, after getting control of the greek city states, first the Asia Minor and the east. He became the universal ruler after the quests.
(Then they marched on for six..): now, mythical elements keep coming in. They met all kind of weird things. Get they were able to obstacles. One army of great beast.
On the Shahnamah version: they have so big ears. they really saw these creatures? NO. these are mentioned to make it interesting. the armies met enemies that are impossible to beat yet they did. Kind of exaggerated the force. Which makes our victory.
At some points; they come to a place hearest by these creatures. How Alexander help them? He built a wall. If the wall was made in wood that the possibility of collapse is high So, he has to set a indestructible wall. It could be really high. What material? It could be iron. He calls his man and belt them all. And iron kind of resist. Got and Magog can not enter. They are creatures, they look like demons. They are the giants, they are so famous. Not only in this context, in the Stonehenge, there is the same concept too. Merlin called giants and they help them to bunt that. Giants are everywhere helping to king.
If they give them tribute moreover we will take as our ruler in return god and magog. This is from the Quran.
(he answered, the power..): here you see the du Quarney.
Hi is not give the credit this is from my lord, he would raised. My lord gods did this and at the end of time creatures will come
Qaydafeh the queen of Andalusia he goes to ambassador. Alexander was a pagan, queen Qaydefah was also pagan. Okay but then, messiah's faith, this is typically christian. Talking about cross, god, messiah, holy ghost… so, contemporary thoughts, into this romances, although the story is in the 4 BC, our writer this also was made as christian. the story according to time writing, Alexander was christian before christianity. He is used as a figure of stress to christian faith. So, this greco roman antic test becomes a christian text. So as long as he believed one god. It doesn’t matter Christianity or muslim. Exactly, he is a west conquerer and these people are christian. This is very basic stereotype. Another reason why this muslim author makes Alexander as christian, some how he wants to presents Alexander is as a believer to a one-god before Islam. He can not be muslim. For him believe to a one-god, he should be a christian. That’s kind of reasoning behind it, christians are not that god, they are a people of the book, means pay taxes. You can believe christianity. What do you mean book people; abrahamic religion. Abraham is the first man who believe to one god and he is the first that he present this belief.
(alex saw in a dream the prophet..) Alexander in a dream: now from the Alexander romance, the christian idea jump in. He is being called Jerusalem. He is a photo christian. He go to Jerusalem. (the image in lecture): visit Jerusalem and now he ready to go to after Darius to the king is down. This is the step to down the Darius. He kind of gets the divine right or help he needs to conquer Iran.
(He came to the house..) by Abraham: to a muslim divine place. He is being called to a secret place he is going to go there or Mekke. (ka’ba) each side they make him wrong.
Other things show us that care for the real thing. Dragons for example, dragon thats the incarnation of evil. This is not a hunting. The idea of eliminating the evil. We has the audience, realize the images. Its the concept thats matter. Typical medieval view. Any of these images look real. They look unreal but why? Our these real settings? no. What would you do if you want to look them as real. Landscape mountain. These give us the real space. They're not there. These are not three dimensional space. There is no empty space. Do you thing these painters how to make proper pictures? According to religious rule, you do not make 3d things because only god can created. They do things in 2d. In that way they are to creating something new. They are just depicted. They believe that They are not competing with god. The sense of fighting with the evil in the name of god the sis the typical medieval mentality. off course there are monsters and they have to protect them form monsters. They can not pass throw fire. the concept is self-protection. Not getting the evil comes to you. he can fight to monster but he has to protect his army. He goes to Darius’s army as an ambassador and Darius kind of gets it and ask alexander whats your name. Darius realizes that this ambassador is not an gozunun ferinden anladı. and he looks Kayanid (the original monarchs of Iran, Cemshid) Prince they are Kayanid comes from Kayumars. His biggest enemy, kind of legitimate; Alexander said gently that you can mix him up of course. So he looks around the army, Darius of course understand the whole situation and he prepare his army as defense. here this is his speech to soldier;
Dara to his commanders after the second battle: save your country family, land and you honor…. You have to be brave, hero because you are a man. This is the do or die war. (ölüm kalım savaşı). The non world, there way of living. As fight or save your life and world that you know.
How the man’s answer: we have no desire…
Yes we will die for you, we do not leave you, we shall fight together.
(Alexander morning dying Darius in Shahname)Alex the great and the dying Darius: his escape makes him loose the far. And how does he died, not in the battle field, they thing we can not kill Darius. Alex will be so happy if Darius killed and reward us. Men kill Darius and take him to Alexander. However, Alexander did not reward them because They betrayed his former company. If they betray Darius why they betray Alexander too. He thought like that and moreover they have broken to Darius that is not expectable. for Alexander, it does not matter killing enemy. He things of betraying him, at this moment of his dead, Darius talks with Alexander and he tells him marry his daughter and take care of his country. Marriage of king’s daughter brings Alexander further legitimate. The next step is marrying the princess and say to everyone. Darius had Alexander is his half-brother. He claims his family and marries her. He became the shah voluntarily. He will keep quiet and he goes to India to fight king Porus. This Indian king he has elephant. The elephants are very big. Fighting with elephant is difficult. So, he divided his army. His strategyis that making iron horses and when the horses rear up, elephants are scared. In the combat, Porus loses and he becomes legitimate ruler of India. However now, army did not want to go to the East. Alexander makes a speech to army: you have an ought to me, we are creating a history.. If you want you can go home.
Alex speech to his army: superior to all races: Alexander pleases the army. If you don’t like me, you can kill me this is better for me. If I’m gone he will kill you. Bize 3 karıs toprak yeter but you will live in a strange land. At the end of the speech, he challenge to them and If you want you do not come. I will go alone to East and I will fight alone.
(In the war with the Persian): bugune kadar hersey yolunda gitti Dara’yı da kendi askerleri öldürdü derdiniz ne diyor. Gelmezseniz gelmeyin ben gider savaşırım diyor. He From god and the Persian army. He is so cool because he is not rely on greek army. Now, he has the Persian army. They are advantage for him, the Persians know the lands but Greeks are not. My help comes from god and Persians. After that he goes on a spiritual journey leaves his army, “hızır” comes to help why is he making he will see his future but after he conquered to whole world but whats next? He is rich he has several lands. What does he not have? immortality. now , he want to be immortal. There is a mountain and if you drink water from the mountain you will turn into immortal. He found the mountain with the help of prophet. No man ever gone there before and he gets lost, can not find the prophet and he gets lost. But he find smoothing else: a tree. This is talking tree. The talking tree has trunk is male and other female. Female start talking: he asks to female tree the water of immortality but the tree said that he can not found it, he should go back to home and Alexander listen to tree and goes back. After that he goes to Babylon and he died. the trees prophecy comes true. He is wise, handsome, young, leadership, powerful, beautiful, justice and gentlemen…
Shahname about him: (Alexander departed and what remains of..)
He was so victorious. Heroes are mortal but what is important? Being good is important thing. In a way, this is a reminder of immortality and the vanity of the world. And read between the lines Firdevsi saying something himself. The important thing is that if you want to be immortal, make people remember good things, do good things. He achieved immortality.
zumrutnaime
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