Tysen Dauer

Rome, Florence, Sienna, and Nicollet

Reflections on Relevance

            As I showed my two-hundred plus Italy/basilica pictures to one of my relatives I waited for the usual response: “Oh, isn’t that nice,” or, “It looks like you had a great time.” The trip was nice and I did have a great time but the journey to Italy was not supposed to stop there: I wanted to understand what people like Dante, Michelangelo, Paul, Caesar, and countless others thought, believed, and valued. How did these people view the world and their place in it and how did that affect their actions. And what, if anything, does it have to do with me?

            The trip started in the fall of 2005 when I first saw the flyers for the study tour. At the time I was enrolled in both a classical traditions class and a comparative religion class which had peaked my interest in ancient Rome, renaissance Italy, and early Christianity. It seemed like the perfect opportunity to explore these interests and experience their environments firsthand.

            The first step to understanding the Roman psyche was to look at their mythology. A variety of gods, goddesses, and stories were discussed including: Bacchus the god of wine, Venus the goddess of love, and many others. One could spend a lifetime reading and analyzing these myths and their importance to Roman society and all succeeding Western culture. (It should be noted here that much of the Roman myth was an extension and elaboration on earlier Greek myths).

            But Besides Greece and Roman culture, the West is also influenced heavily by Christianity. Dante is a good example of this category with his history-changing book, “The Divine Comedy.” “The Comedy” (as it would have been known to Dante) was not particularly funny but was not a tragedy, thus making it a comedy. Dante broke the norms of the social elite in his day by writing the work in the common language of the day instead of the more traditional method of writing in Latin. By writing in the language of the people, Dante’s work could be disseminated to a larger audience. This was especially important as he was in sore need of supporters after he was kicked out of Florence. Dante paints a picture of hell and heaven that is more creative and elaborate then any before it. His “vision” so permeated western culture that many Westerners’ view of heaven, hell, and those in those places is largely based on his comedy.

            Between Christianity and the Greco-Roman precedent one arguably could understand most of western history. Nearly every work of art in Rome and Florence, from David to the Lacöon are simply references to one of these past cultures. However, these two elements are rarely seen in isolation from each other. The Divine Comedy for example deals with a Christian topic (heaven and hell, clergy and laity, etc.) but also alludes to the Greco-Roman precedent (i.e. “The Odyssey” and “The Aenied”) with its structure and characters (including Virgil!).

            A group of people believed that the Greco-Roman heritage was of greater value or less corrupted then the Christian aspect of culture and therefore criticized the church (until the Reformation usually the Catholic Church, indeed even today most Christian people in Italy are Catholic). Boccaccio is a prime example of this type. His frustration with the church and its hypocrisy is vented in a number of the Tales of the Decameron. Whether it’s an outright mockery of “Christian” in his day or a heartfelt criticism, Boccaccio comes to grips with his Christian culture in a scandalous and light-hearted way.

            But this group of “malcontents” was not just authors but also artists such as Bottecceli with his famous (or infamous) “La Primavera” which was considered by many at the time to be a slap in the face to everything Christian while at the same time alluding heavily to the “classical” era of the past. Without a highly “Christianized” society Bottecceli’s paintings would never have ruffled a feather in the Western world.

            All of these trends can also be seen in the architecture of their day as well as in their literature and art. From the colossal basilica with its secular and religious tones to the ornate and classically inclined palaces and homes of the Medici and other political leaders, people surrounded themselves with buildings which reflected their own nature. It was astonishing to see how much art both public and private buildings contained and were surrounded by. Outside the palace of the Medici in Florence for example stood the original “David” by Michelangelo. Statues surround the Uffizi Gallery and busts line the halls of a number of buildings (Capitoline, Vatican, and Uffizi Art Museums).

            At first this surprised and seemed so different from the situation “back home.” But, while there is much less art in the Mankato area then in Florence and the quality is arguably of a different level (in addition to the varying ages of the cities) there is still quite a bit of art in both public and private dwellings. MSU, for example has a number of works of art in its possession while most homes can boast at least a couple of paintings (and don’t forget about the “Mankato Piece”).

            What then makes the art of Mankato so different from that of Florence? It seems to me that the main difference is that Florence has a good five-hundred years on Mankato. Over these many years Florence continued to add more and more works of art and buildings to its “collection.” This process continues even to this day with every major city containing at least one modern art museum. I would imagine that, if given as much time to collect art as Florence, Mankato too would boast a number of famous art galleries and be the birthplace or studio for a few great artists.

            But there is more then just a time difference that makes the cities of Rome, Florence, and even Sienna different from Mankato. Each of these cities was in its own day a major political power and center thus creating nuclei of people, especially people looking for meaning and dealing with life (let’s call them intellectuals). With this influx of intellectuals and their literacy also came a wide array of political leanings, literary styles, musical ideals, and philosophies and religious expressions.

            Like every city these places eventually declined in their power and became a part of history, but a history so important and intriguing that it was preserved to become what we see today. Mankato on the other hand, while not insignificant, has never and probably will never become a large center of power.

            As a relatively young country, America and its people have throughout history been fascinated by these old places of power and all that goes with them. Besides being historically important places, many Americans also feel a connection with Italy (and Europe) because of their heritage. The term heritage here refers to more then simply the country of origin of your ancestors but to one’s cultural heritage as well. Almost all of us in the United States share a cultural bond with Latin and Italian cultures.

            While the Latin connection has been described above, it is important to look at the importance of Italian culture, especially the impact which Renaissance Italy had on Western Culture. Painters such as Bottecceli, writers like Machiavelli, philosophers, religious leaders, politicians, and many others not only initiated the return to the “Classical” tradition but pushed it beyond Italy’s own borders making the Renaissance much more then just a passing trend. As the West underwent these changes and developed the United States was in its infancy, and like all infants, was much influenced and awestruck by its older siblings in Europe.

 The story “Daisy Miller” by Henry James, “Sonnets from the Portuguese” by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, and “My Last Duchess” by Robert Browning all show this American fascination with Italian and European culture. This can especially be seen in Henry James case, an American who lived in Italy for a time. All of these works portray Italy in a quasi-exotic and culturally sophisticated way. Italy is also seen as a place where people let go physically, mentally, and sexually. Along the road the characters in these books show the reader the sights, sounds, and scents of Rome and Italy.

            It has been stated many times that books allow one to travel without ever leaving your room. I found this to be very true as the sights that I saw were already through the story and poems. In addition to traveling through literature, the photographs and videos prepared me for the real thing. I was surprised to find that, while certainly interesting, the grandeur of Rome and Italy never really took hold of me to the degree that I thought it would. I felt like I had seen so much of it before (through the media described above).

            Rome especially felt familiar in many ways. Unexpected though, was the high degree of the “tourist” feeling. I was glad to get to Florence and its much more laid back atmosphere. While visiting basilicas on my free days I personally discovered the fascination with Italian culture and Europe in general. To see the places where the early Christians worshiped and how they have changed from a gathering place for the masses into a tourist attraction with a little worship on the side was eye-opening.

            Seeing the religious center of the Catholic faith was also interesting. Tradition and history were rich and deep there with one often being at odds with the other. As I walked through St. Peter’s basilica is struck me that Peter, to whom the church is dedicated, himself would never have conceived of such an ornate, elaborate building to worship God. For Peter, a simple house was enough. This change speaks volumes about the nature of people, past and present.

            And that is what I really learned: that as time and people change they leave behind pieces of themselves which later people take to reconstruct their lives and try to learn from. So while Virgil, Dante, Boccacio, James, the Brownings, Hepburn, Wyler, and countless others have documented what they believe, value, and thought, the continuum of time continues to move along and we with it. What the people of the past have dealt with contributed to what we are and can teach many lessons but must not stop us from becoming something even greater.

Grade

            There are four main areas in which you asked us to evaluate our work: class attendance, class participation, D2L participation, and the quality of our D2L postings.

            In the area of class attendance I have 100%! I got to class every week and even got there on time. While in Italy I was present on time to all events except for one morning of oversleeping by fifteen minutes. I believe that in this portion of the course I earned an A.

            I feel that I made a significant contribution to discussions which came naturally from having read the selections assigned and investigating some of their history and criticisms. In addition I hope that the presentation that Marilyn and I did on “La Traviata” and Verdi was beneficial for my fellow students regardless of whether or not they chose to attend the opera. I feel confident that I earned an A in this section of class.

            My D2L participation met requirements (3 visits per week) most weeks and I posted on almost every discussion topic on the course page. My postings could have been more frequent and I should have commented on each topic punctually. This is my weakest section which I think deserves a B.

            The quality of my postings on D2L was of above average quality. I hope that some of the responses that I posted were though provoking while I enjoyed reading responses to my own writing. I thought through my postings before submitting them and believe that they were relevant and concise. I think that they earn an A.

            The course as a whole went well and I think that I not only gleaned a lot of useful information and skills but also contributed some to the class as well. With three A’s and one B in the four area of grading I think that an overall grade of an A is appropriate.