In mid-16th century Europe, two intellectual groups, the resistance theorists and counter-revolutionary theorists, reconceptualized the nature of political power. They asked similar questions about the nature of society, government and the right of resistance, but came to very different conclusions. In 1556 the English theorist John Ponet published his Short Treatise on Political Power. Twenty... Continue Reading →
In 1520, Martin Luther published two tracts central to the Protestant Reformation: To the Christian Nobility in August, and The Freedom of a Christian in November. The former text appealed to the German political authorities to take the initiative in the face of the Church which he saw as corrupt, while the latter has him... Continue Reading →
One of the most important books on the Reformation is Brand Luther, written by historian Andrew Pettegree. It explores how Martin Luther became the pre-eminent and defining man of his age and how he was able to spread his version of the Christian religion, paying special attention to the role of printing. This paper will... Continue Reading →
Thomas Carlyle was a Scottish historian and writer who in 1843 published his very influential historical and social criticism book “Past and Present”. There, he joins medieval history with criticism of 19th-century British society. In the chapter “Gospel of Mammonism”, Carlyle examines the materialism of his Victorian society. He argues that a society’s imagery of... Continue Reading →
William Blake’s “The Tyger” poem is arguably his most famous work in this form of literature and in all of English. It is about a person who wonders how a tiger is created, but it is not merely a fun poem. “The Tyger” is a discourse on duality, with a speaker who is shocked at... Continue Reading →
The word “marvel/marvelous” conjures up diverse meanings: in the 1300s, it would have meant a marvelous event outside of human power and nature and thus believed to be supernatural/divine. But it can also mean something wonderful or astonishing that causes someone to feel surprise, admiration or wonder (Oxford University Press). Something which is marvelous is all... Continue Reading →
The Crusades in the Middle East are very well known in our culture, as they have been featured in video games such as Assassin's Creed and movies such as the Kingdom of Heaven. However, the Reconquista in Spain is less known, although it took place for far longer, exactly 781 years from 711 to 1492... Continue Reading →
One of the most important Norse myths is Ragnarok, which tells of a terrible battle at the end of the world. In this myth, the gods Odin, Thor, Freyr, Tyr, and Heimdalr battle against Loki and Fenrir the Wolf, who have burst free, aided by Jormungand the Serpent, Hrim the Giant and Surt in the... Continue Reading →
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