Compare and contrast the cathedrals of Vienna and Prague.
St. Pitus and St. George are located among the royal palace in Prague. St. George is the perfect example of gothic with it's dark brick, steeples, and gargoyles. While St. Pitus is made of plain stone and probably 1/10th the size of St. George, St. Pitus is what I imagine when I think of an old European church. St. Pitus has a few statues dedicated to saints while St. George is floor to ceiling statues of different saints, with stained glass windows that seemed bigger than the walls of St. Pitus, and complete with each corner of the building fenced off showing different private alters that belonged to only wealthy families.
While St. George and St. Pitus are mixed among a mess of buildings that together make up the palace of Prague, in contrast, St. Stephen's in Vienna was it's own attraction. St. Stephen's is so big you could probably fit both St. George and St. Pitus inside it, and unlike St. Pitus all modesty was thrown out the window when building and decorating St. Stephens (after all the church was a reflection of the power of the Empire instead of religion). While St. Stephens was not the preferred church of the Austrian Emperors, that didn't stop them from investing time and money into the church. When Rudolf wanted the church to reflect the power of the Empire, he had them build one of the tallest steeples of the time. And when Frederick the Third wanted a heavier influence of the church on the people of Vienna, and simply built the church bigger so St. Stephens qualified for it's own bishop.
Overall, while all three of these churches are very different from each other, they all show the same thing. The power and influence of the Empire.
Friday, 27 May 2016
Content blog: #7
Explain how Kafka's writing contributes to your understanding of the Empire.
Kafka's writing perfectly embodies the frustration many people had with the Empire as well as pointing out everything that was wrong with the Empire in short stories dripping with satire. Kafka actually worked closely within the Empire, nicknaming himself a double agent, working for Bureaucrats by day and an oppressed German-Jew-Writer by night. Kafka's works, such as The Castle and The Trial, were a way for him to express him frustration with the Empire in a city where he felt constantly oppressed, saying that his writing was his 'terrain for liberation'. However, Kafka realizing that even the literary machine was influenced by the Empire, he begged his closest friend to not publish his works after his death and burned most of his works after he finished them during his life. Kafka contributes to my understanding of Empire because he describes the flaws of the Empire from both a commoners perspective, but also as someone who worked within the Empire. Kafka shows the difficulty of trying to get anything done in the Empire through The Castle, and shows how everyone is seemingly on trial by the Empire through The Trial. Kafka is also the perfect example of how people turned to the Gothic in response to Empire.
Kafka's writing perfectly embodies the frustration many people had with the Empire as well as pointing out everything that was wrong with the Empire in short stories dripping with satire. Kafka actually worked closely within the Empire, nicknaming himself a double agent, working for Bureaucrats by day and an oppressed German-Jew-Writer by night. Kafka's works, such as The Castle and The Trial, were a way for him to express him frustration with the Empire in a city where he felt constantly oppressed, saying that his writing was his 'terrain for liberation'. However, Kafka realizing that even the literary machine was influenced by the Empire, he begged his closest friend to not publish his works after his death and burned most of his works after he finished them during his life. Kafka contributes to my understanding of Empire because he describes the flaws of the Empire from both a commoners perspective, but also as someone who worked within the Empire. Kafka shows the difficulty of trying to get anything done in the Empire through The Castle, and shows how everyone is seemingly on trial by the Empire through The Trial. Kafka is also the perfect example of how people turned to the Gothic in response to Empire.
Content blog: #6
Describe the Ossuary of Kunta Hora, explain why it was creepy/sublime.
The Ossuary of Kunta Hora is a small Roman Catholic church located beneath the Cemetery Church of All Saints in the Czech Republic. The story of the Ossuary is as follows, after the Black Death in the 14th century and the Hussite Wars in the 15th century many thousands of people had been burried in mass graves in Abbey cemetery, when the church was built the lower level was to be used as an Ossuary for the mass graves unearthed in construction, this task was given to a monk who stored the bones in the lower level of the church. Until a carpenter came along and decided to use the bones to make extremely creepy decorations because why not?
Today the Ossuary is a breeding ground for tourists for selfie sticks. The upper floor remains a chapel, but the lower floor is covered floor to ceiling with decorations made of human skulls, and nearly every other bone. While the Ossuary is labeled as a momentary, reminding us of our humanity, I see it as creepy and unneeded. The way I see it, all of the people who now are being used as Femur garlands already have suffered through the black death or the Hussite Wars. To me it seems incredibly disrespectful to dig up mass graves to turn once living breathing humans beings into a tourist trap. Sure we're all going to die, but when I die I don't want some crazy monk digging me up and putting my bones on display.
The Ossuary of Kunta Hora is a small Roman Catholic church located beneath the Cemetery Church of All Saints in the Czech Republic. The story of the Ossuary is as follows, after the Black Death in the 14th century and the Hussite Wars in the 15th century many thousands of people had been burried in mass graves in Abbey cemetery, when the church was built the lower level was to be used as an Ossuary for the mass graves unearthed in construction, this task was given to a monk who stored the bones in the lower level of the church. Until a carpenter came along and decided to use the bones to make extremely creepy decorations because why not?
Today the Ossuary is a breeding ground for tourists for selfie sticks. The upper floor remains a chapel, but the lower floor is covered floor to ceiling with decorations made of human skulls, and nearly every other bone. While the Ossuary is labeled as a momentary, reminding us of our humanity, I see it as creepy and unneeded. The way I see it, all of the people who now are being used as Femur garlands already have suffered through the black death or the Hussite Wars. To me it seems incredibly disrespectful to dig up mass graves to turn once living breathing humans beings into a tourist trap. Sure we're all going to die, but when I die I don't want some crazy monk digging me up and putting my bones on display.
Content blog: #5
Describe Konopiste as a classic Empire location, explain why it was important.
Konopiste belonged to Franz Ferdinand, the nephew of Franz Joseph who would take the throne of the Austrian Empire after Franz Josephs death in 1916. Franz Ferdinand was the richest Habsburg during his time, and this definitely reflected on the interior of his hunting lodge with the exquisite, lavish, and over the top decorations and furnishings of Konopiste (also reflecting the almost never ending wealth of the Empire).
Konopiste was important for the thousand of trophy's that Franz Ferdinand displayed along the walls, showing a glimpse into his severe mental instability. It is also important because Franz Ferdinand would become the last Empire of Austrian, ending his reign at the start of World War One in 1918.
Konopiste belonged to Franz Ferdinand, the nephew of Franz Joseph who would take the throne of the Austrian Empire after Franz Josephs death in 1916. Franz Ferdinand was the richest Habsburg during his time, and this definitely reflected on the interior of his hunting lodge with the exquisite, lavish, and over the top decorations and furnishings of Konopiste (also reflecting the almost never ending wealth of the Empire).
Konopiste was important for the thousand of trophy's that Franz Ferdinand displayed along the walls, showing a glimpse into his severe mental instability. It is also important because Franz Ferdinand would become the last Empire of Austrian, ending his reign at the start of World War One in 1918.
Content blog: #4
Describe Sisi and explain how she is an Empire heroine.
Sisi was a young girl from Bavaria who married her cousin, the Emperor of the Austrian Empire Franz Joseph, at just fifteen years old, giving up her young carefree life for a life of an Empress. Sisi perfectly embodies everything the Empire was not, and she would fight the Empire until her assassination in 1898. She hated everything about the Empire, the customs, the people, court life, even the Hofburg and Schoenbrunn. After the suicide of her son Rudolf she hardly spent more than a few months at either of the palaces, spending her time traveling the world and avoiding her life. Throughout her life and after her death Sisi became a classic Gothic heroine as well as an Empire heroine because of her resistance to the Empire, towards the end of her life she stopped attending royal events all together. Her life that became a series of unfortunate events, with the suicide of her son and the only heir to the Austrian throne, and the tragic death of her sister. As well as the idea that she was caged by the Empire, having to give up her life in Bavaria along with many of the things she loved to do.
Sisi was a young girl from Bavaria who married her cousin, the Emperor of the Austrian Empire Franz Joseph, at just fifteen years old, giving up her young carefree life for a life of an Empress. Sisi perfectly embodies everything the Empire was not, and she would fight the Empire until her assassination in 1898. She hated everything about the Empire, the customs, the people, court life, even the Hofburg and Schoenbrunn. After the suicide of her son Rudolf she hardly spent more than a few months at either of the palaces, spending her time traveling the world and avoiding her life. Throughout her life and after her death Sisi became a classic Gothic heroine as well as an Empire heroine because of her resistance to the Empire, towards the end of her life she stopped attending royal events all together. Her life that became a series of unfortunate events, with the suicide of her son and the only heir to the Austrian throne, and the tragic death of her sister. As well as the idea that she was caged by the Empire, having to give up her life in Bavaria along with many of the things she loved to do.
Content blog: #3
Compare and Contrast the palaces in Vienna and London.
Just the two palaces in Vienna, the Hofburg (located in the heart of Vienna) and the Schoenbrunn (the summer palace) were drastically different from each other. The Hofburg served as the Habsburg's home for six months out of the year, consisting of one long hallway that went from room to room there was virtually no privacy. For instance, to get to Franz Joseph's office, you had to first go through every other room in the apartment. There were two or three windows in every room allowing sunlight to pour in and complete with a dazzling view of the grey stone of the buildings surrounding you. Life at the Hofburg consisted mostly of business, while Sisi's apartment was much bigger than hers at Shoenbrunn, she still had very little privacy. However taking any amount of privacy she could, she installed a bell making Franz Joseph ring for her and request an audience any time he wanted to see her.
The summer palace of the Habsburg's, Schoenbrunn, where the royal family spent the other six months of the year, although was meant to be a summer home centered around business as much as the Hofburg did. Here Franz Joseph spent the majority of his days in office, and Sisi who spent most of her days in an extensive beauty and exercise routine. Unlike the Hofburg though, Schoenbrunn was built out in the country side of Vienna away from the city, and surrounded by gardens, at least making for a better view than the Hofburg. But alas, the atmosphere of the Hofburg and Schoenbrunn did not differ much. Both palaces featuring exquisite and over the top decorations.
Then there's London and the summer palace at Kew. Unlike Schoenbrunn, Kew was actually a place centered around family and relaxation. The gardens actually consisted of real flowers and green as far as the eye could see, unlike Schoenbrunn's gardens that were made up of rock paths and trees. The palace at Kew could actually be considered as just a nice house because of it's modesty, the whole house much smaller than just the servant quarters at both the Hofburg and Schoenbrunn. Unlike both palaces in Vienna, the rooms at Kew were connected by hallways and had two different floors, where as the Hofburg and Schoenbrunn apartments were all connected room to room in an almost straight line, giving virtually no privacy to it's inhabitants.
The difference in palaces at Vienna and London demonstrate the difference in not only lifestyle, but the difference in Empire. While both the Hofburg and Schoenbrunn were over the top, business and social orientated, with no privacy; the Kew was modest, family orientated, and secluded.
Just the two palaces in Vienna, the Hofburg (located in the heart of Vienna) and the Schoenbrunn (the summer palace) were drastically different from each other. The Hofburg served as the Habsburg's home for six months out of the year, consisting of one long hallway that went from room to room there was virtually no privacy. For instance, to get to Franz Joseph's office, you had to first go through every other room in the apartment. There were two or three windows in every room allowing sunlight to pour in and complete with a dazzling view of the grey stone of the buildings surrounding you. Life at the Hofburg consisted mostly of business, while Sisi's apartment was much bigger than hers at Shoenbrunn, she still had very little privacy. However taking any amount of privacy she could, she installed a bell making Franz Joseph ring for her and request an audience any time he wanted to see her.
The summer palace of the Habsburg's, Schoenbrunn, where the royal family spent the other six months of the year, although was meant to be a summer home centered around business as much as the Hofburg did. Here Franz Joseph spent the majority of his days in office, and Sisi who spent most of her days in an extensive beauty and exercise routine. Unlike the Hofburg though, Schoenbrunn was built out in the country side of Vienna away from the city, and surrounded by gardens, at least making for a better view than the Hofburg. But alas, the atmosphere of the Hofburg and Schoenbrunn did not differ much. Both palaces featuring exquisite and over the top decorations.
Then there's London and the summer palace at Kew. Unlike Schoenbrunn, Kew was actually a place centered around family and relaxation. The gardens actually consisted of real flowers and green as far as the eye could see, unlike Schoenbrunn's gardens that were made up of rock paths and trees. The palace at Kew could actually be considered as just a nice house because of it's modesty, the whole house much smaller than just the servant quarters at both the Hofburg and Schoenbrunn. Unlike both palaces in Vienna, the rooms at Kew were connected by hallways and had two different floors, where as the Hofburg and Schoenbrunn apartments were all connected room to room in an almost straight line, giving virtually no privacy to it's inhabitants.
The difference in palaces at Vienna and London demonstrate the difference in not only lifestyle, but the difference in Empire. While both the Hofburg and Schoenbrunn were over the top, business and social orientated, with no privacy; the Kew was modest, family orientated, and secluded.
Content blog: #1
What was Freud's contribution to understanding Empire?
Freud came up with the idea of id, ego, and super ego, in understanding how the conscientious mind works. Id consists of your natural instincts and your unconscious behavior, Ego consists of your rational behavior, and your Superego consists of your moral instinct which you use to decide between right and wrong.
Freud contributes to the understanding because he is the perfect metaphor for Empire. Freud's Id, Ego, and Superego represent the inner struggle being apart of the Empire. If we use Elisabeth as an example, her Id was the desire for her old carefree life, being able to speak her mind, and to go as she pleased. However because she was now an Empress, she was forced to ignore her Id and follow her Ego and Superego, forcing herself to abide and conform to court and her newfound expectations which all conflicted with her Id. Freud also contributes to my understanding of the Empire because during his time only the wealthy could afford to seek him out. Freud's treatment of only the rich and ruling class is an example of the distinction between the Empire and the common people, who probably could have truly used Freud's treatment.
Overall Freud's Id, Ego, and Superego can be seen as a metaphor for the mental and emotional 'cage' of the Empire, as well as his unavailability to the common people.
Freud came up with the idea of id, ego, and super ego, in understanding how the conscientious mind works. Id consists of your natural instincts and your unconscious behavior, Ego consists of your rational behavior, and your Superego consists of your moral instinct which you use to decide between right and wrong.
Freud contributes to the understanding because he is the perfect metaphor for Empire. Freud's Id, Ego, and Superego represent the inner struggle being apart of the Empire. If we use Elisabeth as an example, her Id was the desire for her old carefree life, being able to speak her mind, and to go as she pleased. However because she was now an Empress, she was forced to ignore her Id and follow her Ego and Superego, forcing herself to abide and conform to court and her newfound expectations which all conflicted with her Id. Freud also contributes to my understanding of the Empire because during his time only the wealthy could afford to seek him out. Freud's treatment of only the rich and ruling class is an example of the distinction between the Empire and the common people, who probably could have truly used Freud's treatment.
Overall Freud's Id, Ego, and Superego can be seen as a metaphor for the mental and emotional 'cage' of the Empire, as well as his unavailability to the common people.
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