Cartographers
Scholars of Gender/Women's Studies Theologians: Religion & Difference Critical Race Scholars: Race, Othering, and Alterity in Mandeville’s Travels Cartographers: My Cartographers! You are responsible for giving the class a map of Mandeville’s World. Begin your cartography adventure at the beginning of the book, from the first section I’ve assigned you to read. Where is Sir John Mandeville in the world, roughly speaking? Where is he headed? Then begin to map his world. You may have to revise and redraw parts of the map as you revisit later sections in the book. (Hint: Leave room to the East) Once you have finished mapping the regions, situate some of the main beings/creatures/animals/people one can find in those regions of your map. Labels are fine, but if you’re ambitious you can draw. :-) Once you have finished, start discussing the following questions: What kind of map is Mandeville’s Travels asking us to visualize? Is it possible to map the Travels onto a modern map? Why or why not? What do we understand about Mandeville’s world from this map? How does reading the Travels help us make more sense of a map like the Hereford Mappamundi? Scholars of Gender and Women’s Studies Scholars, we need you now more than ever! Thank you for helping us understand the complicated representation of women in the Travels, and Mandeville’s attitude towards women. How does Mandeville treat womens’ bodies in the Travels? What purposes does he see their body as serving? Turn to pages 123-124. Is there power in a woman’s body in the Travels? What kind of power? How are women disempowered in the Travels? Consult pages 123-124, and page 175. Of course, add in other passages, as well. Turn to the chapter on the Amazon p.116 Are the Amazon women sexualized? If so, how? If not, then how does Mandeville perceive their bodies? What do we know about an Amazon woman’s vision of the world? What role do men play in this world? Do women have power here? What does that power look like? Under what conditions can they have it? The Travels are packed with people and beings that Mandeville portrays as Others. One of his objectives seems to be to capture just how Other the various people in far off lands are. Are women Others in the Travels? Some of you may think they are. Some may think they aren’t. Discuss this in your group. Make sure you take each other to passages that prove your point. Is there anything consistent or static about Mandeville’s attitude towards women? Theologians: Religion and Difference Esteemed theologians, I have asked you here today to help us better understand the religious politics at work in Mandeville’s Travels. Sir John Mandeville is curious, interesting, even obsessed with documenting his observations of the way people practice their faiths, what and who they worship, and why. Understanding Mandeville’s relationship to Christianity and non-Christians beliefs is crucial to helping us understand John Mandeville’s vision of the world. Begin by reviewing the sections you were assigned. As a group, make a list of the various people who observe a faith other than Christianity. Make sure you put page numbers by them, so you can direct the class to the appropriate passages. Then, focus on Mandeville’s portrayals of Saracens. What parts of their faith does Mandeville document? What does Mandeville use to understand Saracen belief? Mandeville transcribes a full conversation with the Sultan. Does he do this anywhere else in the selection that you’ve read? Why is this conversation so important for Mandeville? How does his analysis of the Saracens compare to his study of people of other faiths. Pay attention to Chapter 32, “Of the goodness of the people in the isle of Bragman.” Turn back to the Prologue of the Travels. What does Mandeville lay out as one of his objectives for writing the Travels? Does this change the way you read his analysis of non-Christians? If so, how? Where in the world does Mandeville find Christians? What do you make of this? Scholars have repeatedly referred to Mandeville as “tolerant and fai[r].” Would you agree? Would you disagree? Why? Critical Race Scholars: Race, Othering, and Alterity in Mandeville’s Travels Begin by reading the additional print out I’ve given you. Then review the pages you were assigned. As a group, start to make a list of Others in Mandeville’s Travels. Think about race: What racial markers does Mandeville use to describe the various people he comes across? You may detour and consider what a racial marker even is. That’s Ok. It’s a very important question. Is there a value prescribed to various skin tones in the piece? Is there a racial hierarchy? If so, what is it? Direct us to the appropriate passages. Consult the handout I’ve given you. According to Mandeville, why are people in Nubia black? Where else do you see such a relationship between peoples’ physical appearance and the environment? Close read this passage word by word. How does this passage help us understand Mandeville’s vision of the world? What role do Others have in shaping Mandeville’s world? Why is it important for us to know so much about them? Where are most of the marvels and Others located in Mandeville’s world? Why is that important?
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Christina Hendricks
9/20/2017 01:24:42 pm
Teju Cole Free Write!
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