Introduction to world literature[1]

1. 1. INTRO TOWORLDLITERATURE ignatius joseph n estroga

2. 2.  MESOPOTAMIAN LITERATURE EGYPTIAN LITERATURE HEBREW
LITERATURE ignatius joseph n estroga
3. 3. • THE ANCIENT LITERATURE AND HISTORICAL RECORDS HELP US UNDERSTAND
THE CULTURE AND WISDOM OF THESE PEOPLE ignatius joseph n estroga
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5. 5. One Land…Two Rivers • Mesopotamia means = “land between the rivers” – Tigris River
and Euphrates River • Both rivers flooded once a year and left thick bed of silt. – Silt: rich,
new soil farmers could plant and harvest enormous quantities of wheat and barley ignatius
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8. 8. THE SUMERIANS WERE THE FIRST TO SETTLE IN THE MESOPOTAMIA
SUMERIANS LIVED IN CITY-STATES BUILT AROUND ZIGGURATS ignatius joseph n
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9. 9. zigguratignatius joseph n estroga
10. 10. Hodges Library, Utah ignatius joseph n estroga
11. 11. CULTURE SUMERIAN’S CREATED… BEATUIFUL STONE AND METAL WORK
SCULPTURES THE TWELVE MONTH CALENDAR THE FIRST WRITING SYSTEM:
CUNIFORM ignatius joseph n estroga
12. 12. PoliticsPower of the Priests• Sumer’s earliest governments were controlled by temple
priests – Farmers believed they needed blessings for success of their crops – Priests were
the middle man for the Gods – Priests demanded portion of farmer crops ignatius joseph n
estroga as tax
13. 13. Political• Later followed Hereditary rulers: when the power is passed down to family
members ignatius joseph n estroga
14. 14. Economy• Metal tools and weapons(bronze, iron)• Increasing agriculturalsurplus (better
tools, plows,irrigation)• Increasing trade alongrivers – traded with Egypt• Development of the
world’sfirst cities• Specialization of labor ignatius joseph n estroga
15. 15. Religion• Polytheistic: Belief in Many Gods (3,000!!!)• Gods could be angered at any
moment and to keep them happy Sumerians: – Built impressive ziggurats or temples to
sacrifice food, wine and animals – Souls of the dead wandered in the land of no return
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16. 16. Society Kings and Priests Wealthy merchants Ordinary Sumerian people Slaves ignatius
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17. 17. Women• Could hold property• Join lower ranks of priesthood• There were few women
scribes – Scholars think that girls were not allowed to attend schools ignatius joseph n
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18. 18. Literature Epic of Gilgamesh • Myths and legends recorded in this long poem • One of
the earliest works of literature in the world ignatius joseph n estroga
19. 19. “Gilgamesh, whither are you wandering?Life, which you look for, you will never find.For
when the gods created man, they letDeath be his share, and withheld life ignatius joseph n
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20. 20. Achievements Science and Technology • Invented the wheel, the sail, the plow • First to
use bronze. • Developed system of writing • Built irrigation systems, buildings, surveyed
flooded ignatius joseph n estroga fields.
21. 21. THE RISE, REBIRTH AND FALL OF BABYLON IN 200O BC BABYLONIANS CAME
AND OVERPOWERED THE SUMERIANS THEIR RULER WAS HAMMURABI AND HE IS
 FAMOUS FOR THE CODE OF HAMMURABI THE MOST COMMON MESSAGE WAS “AN
EYE FOR EYE AND A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH” BABYLOIANS OVERTHREW THE
ASSYRIANS AND HAD A NEW RULER NAME NEBUCHADNEZZER WHO IS FAMOUS
FOR THE HANGING GARDENS BABYLON FELL TO CYRUS THE GREAT OF PERSIA
IN 539 BUT BABYLON STILL REMAIN THE CENTER OF TRADE AND CULTURE ignatius
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22. 22. HangingGardens ofBabylon, Iraq ignatius joseph n estroga
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24. 24. Egyptian LitEraturE ignatius joseph n estroga
25. 25. Ancient Egypt is one of the most powerful civilizations the world has ever known Egypt
was called the “gift of the Nile” The Nile provided water and fertile soil for growing crops
Papyrus is what made Egypt a stable civilization. Papyrus is an early form of paper.. Also
created by the Nile River Egyptian was prosperous for more than twenty-seven centuries.
The greatest years were divided into three eras ignatius joseph n estroga
26. 26. Kingdoms New Kingdom (1600-1100) Old Kingdom (2700-2200) Middle Kingdom (2000-
1800) The pinnacle of political power Famous Pyramids Expanding Economy Known for lyric
love poemsHighest Level of Sophistication Political Power ignatius joseph n estroga
27. 27. “Pyramid Power”Religion was apart of daily life… Pharaoh was both a political and
spiritual leader Pharaoh Single; powerful ruler Priest and Scribes Merchants and
Professionals Workers, Peasants and Slaves The largest class ignatius joseph n estroga
28. 28. Egyptian Literature• Egyptians also had a form of writing called hieroglyphs. Hieroglyphs
is a script in which pictures represent ideas• Because everything that Egyptians did was
based on religious belief they constantly thought of the afterlife• Egyptians even wrote a
book that was called the “Book of the Dead”. It was a guide to the afterlife.• Egyptians also
began a love for poetry. Especially pastoral poetry-displays everyday life in pleasant terms
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29. 29. • Hieroglyphs are written in rows or columns and can be read from left to right or from
right to left.ignatius joseph n estroga
30. 30. Hieroglyphic categories1. Alphabetic signs represent a single sound. Unfortunately the
Egyptians took most vowels for granted and did not represent such as e or v. So we may
never know how the words were formed.2. Syllabic signs represent a combination of two or
three consonants.3. Word-signs are pictures of objects used as the words for those
objects.4. A determinative is a picture of an object which helps the ignatius joseph n estroga
reader.
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32. 32. Hebrew Literature ignatius joseph n estroga
33. 33. Hebrew LiteratureThe Hebrew people were wanderers who created a rich culture based
on their religious beliefs  The Hebrew were monotheists- worshipping one God (Yahweh) 
Their beliefs were recorded in a the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament)  The Hebrew Bible is
considered the GREAT monument left by the ancient Hebrews ignatius joseph n estroga
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35. 35. The Early Hebrew Patriarchs Abraham was the founding father and his wife’s name
was Sarah Hebrews lived in Canaan for, four generations… SON Isaac and his
GRANDSON Jacob Jacob’s name was changed to Israel and his people became the
Israelites ignatius joseph n estroga
36. 36. Hebrew Literature “Hebrew Family Drama” Jacob’s (Abraham’s grandson) son Joseph
was sold into slavery by his brothers Joseph won favor with the Pharaoh and saved his
family from starvation The Israelites were enslaved by Pharaoh and then later set free by
Moses. The Israelites were so large they created tribes Moses heard from Yahweh and
created the Ten Commandments which is the code of moral conduct Moses died in the
desert and his follower Joshua led Israelites to Canaan ignatius joseph n estroga
37. 37. Hebrew Literature The Promised Land, Peace and Stability  The first King was Saul;
under his rule the Israelites became a powerful group in Canaan  After Saul was David and
the Israelites were very successful and peaceful  David captured the Jebusites The
Israelites arrived to and made Jerusalem the capital city see that Canaan had people living
there ; they  David’s son Solomon built the struggled to find out Temple of Jerusalem an
important symbol of spiritual who they were unity ignatius joseph n estroga
38. 38. Hebrew Literature Conflict… Division… Exile Once Solomon died there was confusion
in the twelve tribes. The tribes divided into two kingdoms but still thought of themselves as
one spiritual body The Assyrians came and conquered Israel; the tribes dispersed and are
now referred to as the “Ten Lost Tribes” King Nebuchadnezzar conquered Judah,
destroyed the Temple of Jerusalem and took the Hebrews into slavery. Creating the most
bitter periods in Hebrew history; “Babylonian Exile” Cyrus the Great came and freed the
slaves, they returned to Jerusalem and rebuilt everything that was destroyed. Their belief
stayed strong ignatius joseph n estroga
39. 39. Hebrew LiteratureThe Hebrew Identity• The Jews always saw God as their source of
unity. They believed that God provided a special agreement (covenant) with them• The terms
of the covenant were God would always protect them. Even when they lost their homeland;
they found a sense of belonging in their relationship with Yahweh ignatius joseph n estroga
40. 40. • www.myjewishlearning.com/.../ Liter ature/Heb• www.britannica.com/.../Hebr ew -liter
ature• www.answers.com/topic/hebr e w-liter ature• www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org ignatius
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