The Lotus And The Nile
The blue lotus (Nymphaea caerulea) belongs to the Nymphaeaceae (Water-Lily) family. The blue lotus has several common names including: Egyptian lotus, blue water lily, and sacred lily of the Nile. It should not be confused with the "blue lily" or Agapanthus africanus, a plant of an entirely different genus (Anonymous, 1999). Be careful also not to confuse it with the Nymphaea lotus, which is the "white lotus". Fossils of this plant have been dated back to the Jurassic period, about 160 million years ago. Amazingly, the fossils suggest that the blue lotus has not changed much. Other records indicate wide dispersal of this flower before the Ice Age (Edwards, 1998).
It is important to first explain a few things about the nature of the blue lotus. The blue lotus or water-lily, is a floating aquatic plant that is known for it's colorful and aromatic flowers. The leaves are waxy, leathery and dark green with a reddish-purple color underneath (Edwards, 1998). The genus Nymphaea includes both tropical and hardy (cold-tolerant) species. There are also night-bloomers and day-bloomers. The tropical day- bloomers are the lotus that was used by the Egyptians (Edwards, 1998). The flowers of many species of lotus have the shocking habit of folding their petals and sinking beneath the water's surface during the night and resurfacing the next day to bloom again (Philbrick and Les, 1996).
Many ancient cultures found the blue lotus to be of great use and of esteemed status. In Asia and Africa, the blue lotus symbolized immortality in recognition of the plant's ability to survive and resprout after long droughts, and the seed's ability to remain viable for many years (Edwards, 1998). In China it was regarded as a religious symbol, and a symbol of feminine beauty. Similarly in India, it was compared with the human female form, and in their legends they believe that Brahma, their creator of the universe, sprang from a lotus-like blossom (Edwards, 1998).
The Japanese saw a representation of purity and the juxtaposition of good and evil, and the Buddhist's have a prayer mentioning the lotus, "Omi! Mani padme hum!" which is interpreted as, "Oh!, the jewel in the lotus flower!" (Edwards, 1998). The Greeks also admired the blue lotus. They associated the flowers with the mythical nymphs and beautiful maidens thought to inhabit the forests and mountains (Edwards, 1998).
The people of Ancient Egypt (Kemet), used the blue lotus extensively in their art and in their everyday uses.
Carter, E., Theodorou, M., and Morris, P. 1997. Responses of lotus corniculatus to environmental Change I. effects of elevated CO2, temperature and drought on growth and plant development. New Phytologist. 136: 245-253.
From the ornamented caves of the prehistoric era to the surreal colors of impressionistic paintings, art has always been a medium for conveying human thoughts and emotions. By analyzing this artwork, much can be learned about human history, tendencies, psychology, culture, and the like. For instance, by comparing a sunken relief of Horus—considered to be the Egyptian god of the sky, sun, and war—with the Torso of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, many hidden intricacies of Egyptian and Grecian civilization as well as the motives of the artists themselves can be revealed. Each piece of artwork was created in the same general time period (they are both ancient), composed of different materials, guided by social standards, and composed of a spiritual aura; within these similarities, however, lay a myriad of unique features.
Pat Willmer, Pollination and Floral Ecology (Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 2011), 536.Dressler, L. Robert. The Orchids: Natural History and Classification. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 1981.
Walt Whitman is one of America’s most popular and most influential poets. The first edition of Whitman’s well-known Leaves of Grass first appeared in July of the poet’s thirty-sixth year. A subsequent edition of Leaves of Grass (of which there were many) incorporated a collection of Whitman’s poems that had been offered readers in 1865. The sequence added for the 1867 edition was Drum-Taps, which poetically recounts the author’s experiences of the American Civil War.
The Egyptians were big lovers of all beauty and fashion. They were such lovers of beauty that some of their names were based on the word ‘nefer’, which means beautiful. Examples of such were Nefert, Nefertiti, and Nefertari. The goddess associated with adornment was “Hathor the Golden”, who is seen as the ideal of beauty in love and poetry of the time.
His goal was to rebuild the South peacefully and quickly rather than punish the South. President Lincoln wanted to help the South and its folks. He wanted to abolish slavery. He made the abolishment of slavery possible by issuing the Emancipation Proclamation. The Emancipation Proclamation was the executive order and document that freed all African-American slaves in Confederate states. With this document, President Lincoln announced that any African-American slave that was fit condition to fight could be accepted into the Union Army. This statement made it possible for African-American slaves to have a chance to fight for their freedom. President Lincoln’s opinion on political power was to leave the South alone and let them vote. He did not want to penalize the South, he wanted to help them. With this in mind, he planned to give the South back the land that they had lost to the Union Army; as well as keep the Southern lifestyle similar to what it was before. The few chances that Lincoln made were the establishment to free the African-American slaves and the unison of the North and
Walt Whitman’s hard childhood influenced his work greatly, he was an uneducated man but he managed to become one of the most known poets. Whitman changed poetry through his work and is now often called the father of free verse. Especially through Leaves of Grass he expressed his feelings and sexuality to world and was proud of it. He had a different view at life, his hard childhood, and his sexuality that almost no one understood made him introduce a new universal theme to the world. Almost all critics agree that Walt Whitman was one of the most influential and innovative poet. Karl Shapiro says it best, “The movement of his verses is the sweeping movement of great currents of living people with general government and state”.
Walt Whitman is known for his excellence in writing and poetry during the mid 19th century in American Literature. The Leaves of Grass is one of his more memorable works of literature. The work expresses many thoughts and opinions about art, nature, and early nationalism. It also includes a multitude messages for the readers in an attempt to capture the reader and reinforce his points.Within the Preface of the work he talks about issues that he feels are important to inform his audience before they continue into the literature. These observations made by Whitman signify some importance to him in one way or another. Using his rhetorical skills, Walt Whitman attempts to educate his audience about the importance of self improvement and self awareness
It represents Saeng's homeland because when she saw the flower it had reminded her of the same flowers that were there and brought back memories of when she once had lived at Laos. On paragraph 5 it states “The familiar fragrance filled her lungs and Saeng could almost feel the light strands of her grandmother’s long gray hair, freshly washed, as she combed it out with the fine- toothed buffalo-horn comb,” which shows a moment that Saeng had remembered of her and her grandmother. But these memories bring pain to Saeng as she recollects memories of the land that she had left. As you could read in paragraph 7, “ A wave of loss so deep and strong that it stung Saeng’s eyes now swept over her. A blink, a channel switch, a boat ride in the night, and it was all gone. Irretrievably, irrevocably gone.” She feels upset at the thought that the great memories that she had can’t be retrieved or changed. The hibiscus plant represents perseverance for Saeng’s mother. On paragraph 25 Saeng’s mother says “ Its flowers aren’t pretty, but it’s strong enough to make it through the cold months here, this winter hibiscus.That’s what matters,” which would show that even though the winter is rough, the plant is able to grow.
This symbol consists of two fish, standing in a vertical position with their heads turned inwards, towards each other. Golden in color, it is said that after Buddha became enlightened, his eyes became ‘golden with limitless compassion’ and were likened to the golden fish. The golden fishes were among the earliest of sacred symbols, present around 500 BCE. It is believed that the symbol of the two golden fish actually belongs to the
“Leaves of Grass” is a well-known collection of Walt Whitman's poetry which he published. In the preface to “Leaves of Grass” Walt Whitman wrote “the United States themselves are essentially the greatest poem”. Whitman was deeply nationalist and spread his love for nature and for his country in “Leaves of Grass”. The period from 1815 to 1880 saw American manifest destiny taking place. This was the idea that America should be expanding westwards. Whitman like many Romantic writers felt an overwhelming love for their own coun...
Whitman was a self educated New Yorker who began his literary career by satiating himself with classical reading and appreciating nature. After leaving school, Whitman held a great variety of jobs including a printers apprentice and editing several periodicals. His first independent publication was Leaves of Grass; a compilation of various untitled poems. Initially, he was met with limited success or recognition (with the exception of a satisfied Ralph Waldo Emerson). His second edition was far more warmly welcomed. During the Civil War, Whitman offered his services to care for soldiers ...
Tibet, with its isolated, harsh geographical location and history of political and social remoteness would seem an unlikely place to provide a “cradle for creative art” (Bailey 22). Yet it is in this desolate section of the world that one of the most intriguing artistic cultures has been cultivating over hundreds of centuries. One facet of what makes Tibetan art so unique and interesting is its interdependency on its religious beliefs.
Located deep within the vast open waters of the South Pacific Ocean is a nation that is seemingly hidden to the rest of the world. The country of Vanuatu is a world within itself full of cultural diversities, geographical wonders and natural beauty that cannot compare to anywhere else in the world. The natives who inhabit the cluster of islands that make up the country of Vanuatu are proud of their heritage and have strong beliefs in their ways of life. With countless influences from other cultures, they have become their own breed of sorts. Their richness and cultural diversity is one of its main attraction to visitors, who can witness rituals and traditional ceremonies that are an integral part of modern life. Due to the natural boundaries, large open stretches of water, and the jungle and mountainous terrain, tourism is very low, leaving Vanuatu as one of the most untouched native areas remaining on Earth today. By taking a deeper look inside at what all it has to offer, Vanuatu is a county of the South Pacific rich in culture and local traditions that many may soon realize that they need to discover.
Life, chaos, harmony and death are aspects that played a strong role in the belief system of the ancient Egyptian people. These aspects focused on the belief of Gods and Goddesses as well as guidelines that affected how ancient Egyptian people lived their lives. Due to these themes having played a role in the ancient Egyptians lifestyle, many symbols, illustrations and works of art were created to go against the aspects of chaos. Countering the idea of chaos, there are works of art that are seen to symbolize the focus on how the ancient Egyptians tried to achieve a harmonious and balanced life by how they viewed their actions and lifestyle choices. Ancient Egyptian art that focus on symbolic images of their belief system are seen