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This is a journal entry but we are in a college setting, therefore, you may write with a personal flavor, but please write in a way that is up to par with your educational level (correct grammar, spelling, etc.).  When citing a source, please use the MLA style.  Journal entries should be at least 200 words

I will grade each of your journal entries and often will write comments.  Please read these comments so that you can continually improve. 

PLEASE INDICATE ON A TITLE LINE WHICH PROMPT YOU ARE WORKING WITH.

JOURNAL 5:

OPTION 1 & 2 (GIVEN OPTIONS):

You may choose from these two topics.

1. Bible and the Beasts

At the beginning of this chapter, we looked at objects of the Anglo-Saxon people from an era before Christianity encompassed Britain.  In these objects we see a great deal of animals pictured, possibly associated to their pagan beliefs (the Sutton Hoo belt buckle and purse handle are good examples).  After Christianity takes over as the religion of the region, paganism may have faded, but the animals stuck around.  We see animals appearing on the page borders of the Biblical illuminated manuscripts, on jewelry, and in tapestries.  These animals all symbolize a Christian theme of some sort.  Their presence is a sign of syncretism.  

For this journal entry, choose a work of art from the Medieval era that features an animal as a symbol of a Christian theme. Explore and explain its symbolism.

THEN, explore how this animal may have been perceived in a past cultures religion (Greek, Roman, Druid, Nordic, etc.) and contemplate how it may have come to find its way into Christian imagery.  You might want to turn to the Medieval Bestiary for help with this one.

OR

2.  Eve and Aphrodite

When we were in ancient Greece, we met Aphrodite of Knidos, the first female nude sculpture in Antiquity.  Once Christianity took hold of Western civilization, such images of the nude goddess would be put away.  The only nude female we see in art from the Romanesque era is the Biblical Eve.  She is very different in nature from the Greek sculptures of Aphrodite.

Examine Gislebertus Eve, from the Romanesque door lintel of the former north transept portal of the Cathedral of Saint-Lazare in Autun, and write about these three things (images in PDF attached below):

How Gislebertus created her to sculpturally represent her role in the Biblical Genesis story of the Garden of Eden and the Tree of Knowledge?

How might the Christian viewer of the 12th century have perceived this image of Eve? Would they have seen her as dangerous? As evil? As beautiful? Seductive? (remember, how THEY would have seen it, not us with our 21st century lenses).

Without diving fully into the Biblical story, just by appearances, how does this image of Eve feel next to the Greeks Aphrodite of Knidos?

Your journal entry should be at least 200 words.  Please cite any out side sources in the MLA style.