A Comparison Of Early American Texts Essay

, Research Paper

A Comparison of Early American Texts

When the Europeans first came to the Americas in the late 15th & # 8211 ; early sixteenth century, they brought with them a typical manner of literature that was a complete contrast to the Native Americans? who inhabited the land. The Europeans? system of literature was based on authorship, which was a technique unheard of by the Native Americans, whose system of literature was based on unwritten traditions since they did non utilize alphabetic authorship. Despite this discrepancy in manners, both European and Native American literature constructs a definite description of an writer? s personality. I plan to show how the texts of Christopher Columbus, Bartolome de Las Casas, Felipe Guaman Poma de Ayala, and Garcilaso de La Vega uncover a typical personality in each of these writers and the significance of this presentation.

Christopher Columbus presents himself as a compassionate, greathearted and duteous voyager in the texts contributed. Christopher Columbus? texts seem to exhibit the writer as an disciple to his? Highnesses? , King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain. Throughout these texts Columbus repeatedly declares of his actions as restrictively for the favour of his male monarch and queen. For illustration, in the transition? The people of the new universe greet Columbus, ? Columbus provinces, ? ? when Your Highnesses so command, they [ the seven slaves ] can all be carried off to Castile? since with 50 work forces they would be all kept in subjugation and forced to whatever may be wished. ? Another illustration is in the transition? Columbus describes the people of the New World, ? in which Columbus proclaims, ? Our Lord willing, at the clip of my going I will convey back six of them [ Native Americans ] to Your Highnesses, that they may larn to talk. ? These two illustrations depicts Columbus merely as a liege to his important figures, frequently even more so than to God.

Bartolome de Las Casas presents himself as a veracious storyteller of the freaks being perpetrated in the New World. His ability to confess of his ain failures in trying to raise a humane colony establishes a loyal and infallible repute for Las Casas, with an indicant of his guilty scruples for being a portion of such monolithic devastation. An illustration of this averment is apparent in an history depicting the decease of an Indian. Las Casas speaks of himself in the 3rd individual as a churchman who had, prior to the Indian being wounded in the tummy by a Spaniard, assured the indigen that there no longer would be any death and atrociousness, saying, ? No more, no more. Make non be afraid. There will be no more, there will be no more. & # 8221 ; This degree of self-respect puts the reader? s trust in Las Casas? histories, leting us to experience his passion and see his documental color. Las Casas besides presents himself as a adherent of God, distributing the word of Christianity and admiting God? s portion in the Spaniards? conquering of the New World. An illustration of this commitment is best presented when Las Casas provinces, in the 3rd individual, ? ? the churchman Casas? would baptise the kids he found in the small town. He did this throughout the island? and there were many for whom God provided holy baptism because He had predestined them to glorification. ?

Felipe Guaman Poma de Ayala displays himself as a privileg

ed storyteller of the events that took topographic point during the European conquering, therefore authorising him to enter a truer history, since he was a Christianized Indian. Throughout Ayala? s text he makes ageless mentions to his Incan heritage to bring forth a justification for his purpose of uncovering the flagitious workss performed on the Native Americans. An illustration of these mentions is present in? The First Part of this History: The Indians of Peru. ? One statement in this transition asserts of his Incan heritage, saying, ? My history begins with the model life which was led by my male parent Huaman Mallqui and my female parent Curi Ocllo Coya, girl of Tupec Inca Yupanqui, the Peruvian leader. ? This mention to his Incan lineage besides demonstrates the pride he has in being Incan, therefore verifying his ground for exhibiting the calamity being created as merely. An illustration of this pride is best presented in Ayala? s statement about his male parent, claiming, ? My male parent served in an of import capacity during all the wars, conflicts, and rebellions against the Spanish Crown. ?

Garcilaso de La Vega presents himself as an rational historiographer with an purpose of supplying a factual commentary on the actions that had taken topographic point during the Spaniards? reaching to the New World, since the old histories had been? rendered inappropriately. ? The desire to make a transparent history of the Spaniards? conquering to the New World exemplifies La Vega? s fond regard to, and the regard he has for, his Native American heritage. The fond regard to his Native American heritage is besides presented when La Vega gives esteem and regard to the faith, devotion, manner of life, beginning, and imposts the Indians of Peru possessed.

If I were to parallel any of these writers? manner of composing with an writer from an earlier text, I would compare Bartolome de Las Casas? History of The Indies ( 1564, Spain ) with Francois Villon? s Hanged Men ( c. 1450, France. ) Both of these writers present a signifier of guilt in their old actions and a desire to pay court to God in hopes of exoneration. In Las Casas? text, this transmutation is best exemplified in his ability to admit of his engagement in the Spanish conquering and germinate into a adherent for God, opposing and call on the carpeting the Spaniards? actions. This transmutation is every bit presented in Villon? s text when Villon describes the hanging of six work forces for their misbehaviors. Villon is the voice for these six work forces, who province, ? Don? T be insulted that we call you brothers, even if it was by Justice we were put to decease, for you understand non every individual has the same good sense? we are dead, may no 1 twit us, but pray God that he shrive us all. ? This statement shows Villon? s capableness of being able to squeal to his past misbehaviors and his entreaty for God to shrive him for his deficiency of? good sense. ?

Despite their discrepancy in manners, both European and Native American literature constructs a definite description of an writer? s personality. Through the usage of certification, authors of the early Americas were able to use their ain features and individualities to their histories of the Spaniards? conquering to the New World. This presentation of ego has finally led to our modern civilization? s manner of authorship, which has remained unchanged in documental literature for over 500 old ages.