The Late Middle AgesThe fall of the Roman Empire started what we know now as the late middle ages or the Dark Ages. During this time period a plague called the Black Death sprouted. Many lives were taken by this disease. There was immense poverty in Europe and many felt as if the everything was chaos. Feudalism also took its toll during this time. Many new ideas and styles of living were generated during this era.
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Were the Dark Ages Really Dark?
The fall of the Roman Empire in 410 enticed the beginning of a new era, the Dark Ages. If they were really that dark is the question. John Green the creator of the video "The Dark Ages, How Dark Were They Really?" points out that, the Dark Ages weren't always precisely "dark". After the Roman Empire fell on 410 Europe went into chaos. Some dark facets of the Dark Ages were that everything was swayed by superstition. Feudalism, caused by less trade and fewer cities, had its pros and cons. The positive side of feudalism was that peasants could not move up the social class ranking. Some peasants were forced to even work as slaves in order to obtain protection. One positive side of feudalism was that lords protected better than the state could. Some not so dark facets were that Spain became the Centre of art. Life expectancy actually grew from 28 to 30 years old, because wars were smaller, and there was less danger.
nfo. Source: "The Dark Ages: How Dark Were They Really?" Crash Course Videos. 2012. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QV7CanyzhZg |
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Depth Psychology: The Basis for Archetypal Analysis
Throughout this six weeks, we will take on a psychological approach to movies and stories called “Archetypal Analysis.” We will search for symbols in mechanisms that surpass culture and time.
To comprehend where archetypes come from, we must understand the fundamental philosophies of Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung concerning the collective unconscious. |
Here is an analysis of the archetypes of the quest that can be found in Sir Gawain and The Green Knight.
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A Sypnosis Of The Archetypes Of The Quest In Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief (2010) by Melissa & ChristianAtop the Empire State Building in New York City, Zeus and Poseidon meet. Zeus reveals that his mater bolt has been stolen and accuses Poseidon's demigod son, Percy Jackson of stealing it. Poseidon explains that Percy does not know his true identity, but Zeus declares that unless the bolt is found and returned to Mount Olympus before the next summer solstice, he will wage war.
Percy, a sixteen-year-old dyslexic teenager, while at a local museum on a school field trip, is attacked by a Fury that has disguised as his substitute. The Fury demands that Percy give her the lightning bolt. Percy's best friend, Grover Underwood, and Latin teacher, Mr. Brunner, help Percy and scare off the Fury. After learning why the Fury attacked Percy, Mr. Brunner gives Percy a pen and tells him that it is a powerful weapon. Grover takes Percy and his mother Sally to Camp Half-Blood, a camp for the demigod children of the Gods. However, on their way to the camp they are attacked by a minotaur that appears to kill Sally, who is unable to enter Camp Half-Blood. Grover tells Percy to use the pen, and to Percy's surprise it turns into a sword. He fights the minotaur with the sword and fails. Percy kills the minotaur with its own horn and then faints from shock. Percy wakes three days later and learns that he is the son of Poseidon and that Grover is actually a disguised Satyr and his protector, and that Mr. Brunner is actually the centaur Chiron in disguise. Chiron explains to Percy that he should travel to Mount Olympus to convince Zeus that he is innocent. Percy begins training to control his demigod powers, which include water manipulation and using water to heal. At Camp Half-Blood he meets other demigods including Annabeth, daughter of Athena; and Luke, son of Hermes. After winning a game of Capture the Flag, Percy is visited by a fiery apparition of his uncle Hades who reveals to Percy that Sally is with him in the Underworld and that he will return her only if Percy gives him the lightning bolt. Defying Chiron's orders, Percy decides to travel to the Underworld with the company of Grover and Annabeth. The trio is told to locate three pearls that belong to Hades' wife Persephone in order to escape the Underworld once there. They head out and locate the first pearl at an old garden centre where they are attacked by Medusa, the ruling parasite. Percy decapitates Medusa and takes her head with them for later use. They find the second pearl in the Parthenon in Nashville. Using winged shoes Percy retrieves the pearl from a statue of Athena. Unfortunately, they are confronted by the Hydra, the minion, which Grover petrifies using Medusa's head. The third and final pearl is located at the Lotus Casino in Las Vegas, where the trio eats lotus flowers and forget their reason for being there. They stay there for five days until Poseidon, speaks to Percy in his mind, which helps him return to his senses. Percy then frees Grover and Annabeth and they flee. Now with all three pearls, they head to the Underworld, the centre of abyss. In the Underworld they meet Hades and Persephone. Percy begins to tell Hades that he does not have the lightning bolt, but Hades finds it hidden in Luke's shield, revealing that Luke is the thief and trickster. Persephone, the EFUG, knocks out Hades with the bolt to get back at him for keeping her prisoner for all eternity and then hands the bolt to Percy. However, since there are only three pearls, Grover stays behind with Persephone in order for Percy, Annabeth, and Sally to leave. They teleport to the Empire State Building, return threshold, but are attacked by Luke, who wants to destroy Mount Olympus. After dueling across Manhattan, final trial, Luke is defeated by Percy. Percy then returns the bolt to Zeus, who forgives Percy and allows Poseidon to speak with his son. All is forgiven and war did not start. |