Brandon Scribner

6/13/18

Comp 201 World Literature

Dr. Victor Gomia

Module 5 Summary

Tao Qian was quoted saying, “Whenever I have been involved in official life I was mortgaging

myself to my mouth and belly.”

That quote was to explain his leaving of his political career to return home and work at the family rice

farm. Tao Qian was a master at capturing the emotion behind the simple pleasures of country living, the

pursuit of one’s inner self, and the necessity to unmake life’s choices. Although Qian spoke a lot about

himself in his poems, we did not know much about his life. Qian’s grandfather was a General in the

military. Qian originally followed in his grandfather’s footsteps. Qian served in the military for thirteen

years and in 405 he was the magistrate of Pengze. Suddenly Qian resigned after only having the position

for eighty days. Instead of living off the supplied grains of the state, Qian wanted to grow his own. Qian

focus switched to pursuing his true inclinations and living out the last two decades of his life in peace and

tranquility. Tao Qian during the Period of Disunion, the four hundred years between the Han dynasty and

the Tang dynasty. In 316, non-Chinese intruders invaded China. Also, during the Period of Disunion

Buddhism spread throughout, creating a disarray of Buddhist, Daoist and Confucianist peoples. Tao Qian

described his decision to leave public life as a personal choice because of the political turmoil and new

religions. Tao Qian’s poetry celebrates the pleasures of wine, friends, and gardening. Qian also writes

about the joys of composing literature, reading books, and playing with the zither. Lastly, Qian’s deepest

topic is the desire for liberation from social strictures to pursue one’s own inclinations. Tao Qian hated
worldly ambitions but nobody else wrote so much about themselves. “Elegy” was about himself coming

from the grave to image his own death, and even “Peach Blossom Spring” is an autobiography of sorts.

Tao Qian was first a simple recluse and man of principle, secondly a poet. During the Tang Dynasty, Qian

was propelled into literary fame because of the interest in simplicity during these times. Qian was an icon

of self-fulfillment, showing people a state of contempt was possible.

Next, Islam and Pre-Islamic culture in North America.

North Africa was invaded and occupied by Arabs in 640 and 700 C.E. Bringing a massive influence of

Islam to the area. In the ninth century Arab occupation of southern Morocco gave birth to many oasis

cities south of the High Atlas Mountains. The end of the tenth century the Muslims had colonized the

southern trading centers. The strong reshaping force of Islam was not an economic force. By the

thirteenth century Islam had become common but not yet universal. Stories told by Muslim cleric and by

pilgrims returning from Mecca were adapted to local commonalities. Stories of The Prophet Muhammad

and peoples from his life were borrowed by bards and used in oral literature. This included the epic

Sunjata, which is the story of thirteenth century hero who is credited of founding the Mali Empire.

The Ottoman Empire was established around 1300 C.E. by Turkoman nomads from northwestern Asia

Minor. The “Ottoman enterprise,” was named after Osman Beg and was once of similar principalities.

The conquest of Constantinople in 1453 named the inheritor of the eastern Roman Empire. Ottoman

conquests continued deeper into Europe. By 1517 controlled many territories such as Syria, Egypt, and

the Holy Cities of Arabia. The new political and military elites consisted of highly educated slaves of the

sultan. The elites culture found its classical expression in art, architecture, and literature. Ottoman

literature was a mixed of Persian and Turkish, and often was hard to tell what language phrased had been

taken from. Evliya Celebi’s Book of Travels is a great representation of Ottoman literature.
 Afterwards, the reading focuses on Sophocles.

Sophocles is a young well educated Greek writer. Sophocles invites us to ask what it means to be part of a

family, part of a city, part of a team or and army, or part of the human race. Can we choose to embrace or

reject our family, friends, and society, or do we have to accept the place to which we were born? Is it a

gesture of heroism or folly to be an outsider? What should we do if forced to choose between out family

and a wider social group? Sophocles was called the most “Homeric” of the three surviving Athenian

tragedians. His most important innovation was bringing in a third actor, a “tritagonist”. This allowed for

three-way dialogues. Sophocles’s output of work was large. He composed over a hundred and twenty

plays. Three of the seven that survived include the three Theban plays: Oedipus the King, Antigone, and

Oedipus at Colonus. The other four remaining are Ajax, Trachiniae, Electra, and Philoctetes. Sophocles

participated actively in the community and in politics. The activity in the community makes us believe he

was trustworthy. Sophocles married and had five sons, one of which Iophon, became a tragedian himself.

Sophocles lived till he was over ninety years old.

Lastly, our attention turns to William Shakespeare.

Hamlet is the story of a prince whose father is murdered by his uncle. The uncle takes over the throne and

marries his brother’s widow. The ghost of the father tells the young prince to avenge him. Shakespeare

gives the audience insight into the mind of the prince. The prince’s thoughts are turned into strong dialog.

Shakespeare created a new type of play that shows the inner doubts and hesitations of his character.

William Shakespeare was born in the rural community of Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire. His

father, John Shakespeare, was a glover and, when William was born, prominent in the town’s

government. Shakespeare married Anna Hathaway when he was eighteen. The couple had three children,

Susanna and the twins Judith and Hamnet. The resemblance to the state in Hamlet brought a level of

power to the English audience. After 1592 Shakespeare has moved to London. Creating envy and intrigue
around his name. Shakespeare became a share holder and a founder of a theatre called the Globe, where

he is most known for his works. The Globe was open to all peoples regardless of social class, anyone

could get into the show for a penny. Although Shakespeare made his name as a playwright and his fortune

came from his shareholding in his company. He never intended on having his works published to print.

After his death in 1616, his friends had the “First Folio” printed as a collection of Shakespeare’s work.