Sunday, August 31, 2008

Hector Could have Saved Troy

Let them say I walked with giants


Not to go in to chronological order of a tale that has more than 3000 years in its behind, the war of Troy has evoked certain observations when I looked at it. When I happened to be a student of English Literature in my graduation, we had a brief introduction of war of Troy as part of beginnings of modern drama, Homer as father of modern drama. Iliad and Odyssey are two lengthy poetic narrations by Homer who believed to live around 9th Century of BC in Greek. We were told that Iliad is about the war that lead to the fall of Troy and Odyssey is about the return journey of Agamemnon who lead the Greeks in that war and the life after Troy.

After a long gap of say about 15 years I am able to lay my hands on to the subject again. What surprised me is that the capacity of a 3000 years old story to ignite fresh thoughts about the persons and personalities apart from what had happened, why it was like so ! May be that is the beauty of an epic like Ramayana and Mahabharata, what we have had. At least in the case of Ramayana we had a writing figure Valmiki, though we can’t ascertain his authenticity. But in the case of Mahabharata, the writer, Vyasa still looks at least for me as a fictitious persona.

Coming back to the original story, the mythological narration can be found at http://www.royalty.nu/legends/Troy.html. I wish to just take some aspects only basically which surrounds the characters of Hector and Achilles, Priam, the king of Troy.

Hector : Tactically right

Eldest son of Praim ( king of Troy) a loyal country man and an effective commander who has an eye on the activities of Paris, his own brother who became so close to Helen, the wife of Menelaus, the Greek king Agamemnon’s brother. After the ceremony ( read the above link) night before Paris and his brother moves to Troy meets Helen and seduces her and also impresses her to elope with him to Troy where they can live a loving and peaceful life. Helen follows Paris directions and enters in to the ship that sailed to Troy in guise. On sea, Paris informs the same to Hector who becomes angry and also fears consequences. As soon as they arrives in Troy the picture unfolds in the Priam’s court where they decided even to fight for Paris’s love. In the court Hector warns the consequences and proposes to hand over Helen back to Menelaus and enter in to treaty to save the people and the country from the perils of war. But nobody hears as the Chief Priest also sides with Priam and encourages war. Through out this episod the Priam’s priest ill advices the rulers of Troy including taking the wooden horse wherein the Trojans sealed themselves in to city. Hector argues well having the tactical understanding after overseeing the war with Greeks for some years. He finds that the advances so far made by Troy military is due to divisions in the Agamemnon’s allies banking on the sea. For some time Achilles won’t take part in the war with his men. With out Achilles and his men, the Greek soldiers lost morale and starts running. Following the ill advise from chief priest and some other allies of small tribes Priam enters in to a deadly battle. One more aspect of Hector also I like. He is not only loyal to his people and a good commander. He is also upholds the moral principles. After killing Achilles’ friend thinking that he was Achilles, Hector confesses the same and gets himself ready to face the consequences lonely. He warns his wife to escape before the Greek army plunders city. In one on one fight Hector braves Achilles and dies in front of Troy city gates while his whole court is overlooking . He also refuses his archery to slew arches at Achilles while he roads on his chariot. After going through the personality of Hector one can sum up his character as morally right.

Achilles : The brave boy who always sides with the Greek in the troublesome period of Greek’s civilisation at his early stage secures en number of victories including the famous one of Troy. He and Agamemnon are completely opposite. Due to stiff differences with Agamemnon over Agamemnon’s wish to have Bresis, the Troy’s princes, Achilles asks his men not to take part in war for some years. Exactly those are the years when the Troy recorded some advances. After killing Hector, Achilles asks Greek army to return to the sea. Bresis tries her best to see that Achilles not to return to war filed. But with an ambition of conquering Troy, Agamemnon does not agrees for that. History has two opinions on the events that followed Hector’s death. Some says including Homeric verses that Greek army was vanished due to the spread of plague. Some says that after certain sections of Greek army vanishes, realising the problem Agamemnon and Achilles decides to make a giant size wooden horse by destroying the boats and shield themselves from plague. After some time Priam looks at the empty beaches where the wooden horse stands alone. The wooden horse enters in to Troy city and the men of Greek comes out on night and lit fire and sacks everyone who comes across and steels what ever they found worth including the destruction of the famous Apollo, the sun god’s temple.

Priam : Who happened to be unifier of Troy rule by conquering several tribal chiefs establishes well knit society in Troy. His only weakness is to follow the advices of his priest. Thus he paves way for the destruction of the empire which he built.

Menelaus and Agamemnon : Are zealous of Hector and Troy kingdom and waits for an opportunity. Helen’s elopement with Paris gives them opportunity to siege the Troy, which finally ends by doing so after a decade of war.

One more important thing we can find here is the culture of victorious army looking the temples for treasures. Thus we need not to find the BJP’s arguments in India about the Muslims rulers destroying hindu temples, a valid one. This phenomenon can be seen all along the history in spite of continental differences.

Similarities between Mahabarata and War of Troy : There are so many commonalities in both these wars. Both, if at all they had happened, happened in the late Bronze Age of human civilisation. The narrations of both the Homer and Vyasa are of same in nature. The disputes arises though over the retention and expansion of empires, reaches final stage over the question of Women ! Like in Mahabarata, in War of Troy also diplomacy precedes the war. Like in Mahabarata, both sides mobilises support of tribal chiefs of that time in and from the surrounding areas. Only difference is that war of Troy happens on the banks of Aegean Sea where as Mahabarata was basically land based war. In war of Troy we can’t find the usage of Elephants in war where as in Mahabarata we do. In both cases the so called Gods oversees the war with enormous interests while some taking either sides and others staying as on lookers.

What ever it may about the reality of these wars, we can say that they had happened, if at all they were, at a time when the role of women started being confined from principle owner of home to subordinate owner of home. In anthropological studies this is the period where we can see the evolution of human civilisation from the stage of women dominated to male dominated one, which is still surviving till today !

The dramatic dialogue Achilles tells to Bresis few minutes before his death is that “ Let them say I walked with giants “. This has in his minds the heated debates he enters in to with Agamemnon after initial victories over Troy where Agamemnon thunders “ History will remember Kings not foot soldiers”

What ever may history says, we can say that the age of Troy, and Indraprastha are gigantic steps in the evolution of human civilisation. Hence we can accept that Achilles’ saying by interpreting that all the characters of war of Troy are walked with giants !

Hector Could have Saved Troy

Let them say I walked with giants


Not to go in to chronological order of a tale that has more than 3000 years in its behind, the war of Troy has evoked certain observations when I looked at it. When I happened to be a student of English Literature in my graduation, we had a brief introduction of war of Troy as part of beginnings of modern drama, Homer as father of modern drama. Iliad and Odyssey are two lengthy poetic narrations by Homer who believed to live around 9th Century of BC in Greek. We were told that Iliad is about the war that lead to the fall of Troy and Odyssey is about the return journey of Agamemnon who lead the Greeks in that war and the life after Troy.

After a long gap of say about 15 years I am able to lay my hands on to the subject again. What surprised me is that the capacity of a 3000 years old story to ignite fresh thoughts about the persons and personalities apart from what had happened, why it was like so ! May be that is the beauty of an epic like Ramayana and Mahabharata, what we have had. At least in the case of Ramayana we had a writing figure Valmiki, though we can’t ascertain his authenticity. But in the case of Mahabharata, the writer, Vyasa still looks at least for me as a fictitious persona.

Coming back to the original story, the mythological narration can be found at http://www.royalty.nu/legends/Troy.html. I wish to just take some aspects only basically which surrounds the characters of Hector and Achilles, Priam, the king of Troy.

Hector : Tactically right

Eldest son of Praim ( king of Troy) a loyal country man and an effective commander who has an eye on the activities of Paris, his own brother who became so close to Helen, the wife of Menelaus, the Greek king Agamemnon’s brother. After the ceremony ( read the above link) night before Paris and his brother moves to Troy meets Helen and seduces her and also impresses her to elope with him to Troy where they can live a loving and peaceful life. Helen follows Paris directions and enters in to the ship that sailed to Troy in guise. On sea, Paris informs the same to Hector who becomes angry and also fears consequences. As soon as they arrives in Troy the picture unfolds in the Priam’s court where they decided even to fight for Paris’s love. In the court Hector warns the consequences and proposes to hand over Helen back to Menelaus and enter in to treaty to save the people and the country from the perils of war. But nobody hears as the Chief Priest also sides with Priam and encourages war. Through out this episod the Priam’s priest ill advices the rulers of Troy including taking the wooden horse wherein the Trojans sealed themselves in to city. Hector argues well having the tactical understanding after overseeing the war with Greeks for some years. He finds that the advances so far made by Troy military is due to divisions in the Agamemnon’s allies banking on the sea. For some time Achilles won’t take part in the war with his men. With out Achilles and his men, the Greek soldiers lost morale and starts running. Following the ill advise from chief priest and some other allies of small tribes Priam enters in to a deadly battle. One more aspect of Hector also I like. He is not only loyal to his people and a good commander. He is also upholds the moral principles. After killing Achilles’ friend thinking that he was Achilles, Hector confesses the same and gets himself ready to face the consequences lonely. He warns his wife to escape before the Greek army plunders city. In one on one fight Hector braves Achilles and dies in front of Troy city gates while his whole court is overlooking . He also refuses his archery to slew arches at Achilles while he roads on his chariot. After going through the personality of Hector one can sum up his character as morally right.

Achilles : The brave boy who always sides with the Greek in the troublesome period of Greek’s civilisation at his early stage secures en number of victories including the famous one of Troy. He and Agamemnon are completely opposite. Due to stiff differences with Agamemnon over Agamemnon’s wish to have Bresis, the Troy’s princes, Achilles asks his men not to take part in war for some years. Exactly those are the years when the Troy recorded some advances. After killing Hector, Achilles asks Greek army to return to the sea. Bresis tries her best to see that Achilles not to return to war filed. But with an ambition of conquering Troy, Agamemnon does not agrees for that. History has two opinions on the events that followed Hector’s death. Some says including Homeric verses that Greek army was vanished due to the spread of plague. Some says that after certain sections of Greek army vanishes, realising the problem Agamemnon and Achilles decides to make a giant size wooden horse by destroying the boats and shield themselves from plague. After some time Priam looks at the empty beaches where the wooden horse stands alone. The wooden horse enters in to Troy city and the men of Greek comes out on night and lit fire and sacks everyone who comes across and steels what ever they found worth including the destruction of the famous Apollo, the sun god’s temple.

Priam : Who happened to be unifier of Troy rule by conquering several tribal chiefs establishes well knit society in Troy. His only weakness is to follow the advices of his priest. Thus he paves way for the destruction of the empire which he built.

Menelaus and Agamemnon : Are zealous of Hector and Troy kingdom and waits for an opportunity. Helen’s elopement with Paris gives them opportunity to siege the Troy, which finally ends by doing so after a decade of war.

One more important thing we can find here is the culture of victorious army looking the temples for treasures. Thus we need not to find the BJP’s arguments in India about the Muslims rulers destroying hindu temples, a valid one. This phenomenon can be seen all along the history in spite of continental differences.

Similarities between Mahabarata and War of Troy : There are so many commonalities in both these wars. Both, if at all they had happened, happened in the late Bronze Age of human civilisation. The narrations of both the Homer and Vyasa are of same in nature. The disputes arises though over the retention and expansion of empires, reaches final stage over the question of Women ! Like in Mahabarata, in War of Troy also diplomacy precedes the war. Like in Mahabarata, both sides mobilises support of tribal chiefs of that time in and from the surrounding areas. Only difference is that war of Troy happens on the banks of Aegean Sea where as Mahabarata was basically land based war. In war of Troy we can’t find the usage of Elephants in war where as in Mahabarata we do. In both cases the so called Gods oversees the war with enormous interests while some taking either sides and others staying as on lookers.

What ever it may about the reality of these wars, we can say that they had happened, if at all they were, at a time when the role of women started being confined from principle owner of home to subordinate owner of home. In anthropological studies this is the period where we can see the evolution of human civilisation from the stage of women dominated to male dominated one, which is still surviving till today !

The dramatic dialogue Achilles tells to Bresis few minutes before his death is that “ Let them say I walked with giants “. This has in his minds the heated debates he enters in to with Agamemnon after initial victories over Troy where Agamemnon thunders “ History will remember Kings not foot soldiers”

What ever may history says, we can say that the age of Troy, and Indraprastha are gigantic steps in the evolution of human civilisation. Hence we can accept that Achilles’ saying by interpreting that all the characters of war of Troy are walked with giants !

Friday, August 29, 2008

Hurricane is Beautiful !

Hurricane is Beautiful !

Recently I happened to see a movie in Z Studio titled The Hurricane. At its outset the movie seemed, for me at least, a movie with difference. Then after tiring off from office work started viewing the movie which was relayed around 11 pm on Wednesday. As the movie runs, sleep also moved away from me. Then I tried to really grab the issue and context of the movie. Though I am not familiar with the American assent of New Jersey, I could gather the following impression of that movie which was a real story of a Negro who fought for justice.

I am posting my impression of that story because as my generation views US as the greatest symbol for individuality and personal freedom, the fact is otherwise. That is the general impression which settled in my mind after my high school education where I read about the civil war in USA. The presentation at the high school about the subject was off course in a different mode ! Gradually what I came to know from readings is that the Civil war broke out in USA only after the so called Negro population started ascertaining their rights under US constitution i.e right to equality and right to liberty. Starting from the establishment of United States of America under the leadership of George Washington, the commander there is a stark division between the Whites and Black in all respects of their society. Even after Abraham Lincoln’s contribution to the US society, the US is implementing its dual treatment to Negro. This ultimately brought the famous Martin Luther King to the national scene. He is acclaimed even certain sections in India for different reasons. In this case also our Luther King has been introduced to our generation in different syllabus as the follower of Gandhian principles, peaceful non cooperation. As far as my memory goes, we were not told in our classrooms the reasons for the success of Kings movement in early 70’s ! I am sneering in to this topic because the movie The Hurricane also portraits a Negro’s life of early 70’s of last century US where he has been behind the bars only because of he is a Black.

The story begins with a court scene where the learned (?) judge cautions a boy ( Ruby Carter) that unless he falls in to line with law of the land he would become a dangerous man for the society ! While hearing a petty case the judge delivers 12 year sentence against that boy. The boy assiduously undergoes the imprisonment where he prepares himself to face the life out of jail. With a sever effort he becomes a boxer. After jail life he becomes prize catch boy for the organisers of boxing competition. Due to the speed of his punching he is nicknamed as Hurricane ! His success goes on until he wins in the bout national championship against another boxer who happened to be a White skinned. The umpire declares the White skinned looser as national champion despite the overcrowded objections from the audiences. After that competition, Ruby on the way reaches a casino where he finds all the staff were murdered. The police who happened to guard that street stoles the money in the cash box after the firing by miscreants and also calls on a lady in the bar to inform her that a black guy fired at . She in turn called up police station who arrives and arrests Ruby and the court as usual sentences him for the life imprisonment. After reaching the jailer Ruby refuses to wear white uniform with number which the criminal uses to wear. He argues with the jailer who is also white skinned and as a result the jailer orders solitary confinement.

Meanwhile his younger brother finds as a refuge finds an asylum with a Canadian family across the boarder. Initially he also feels that he is being discriminated because of he is not Whit skinned. Gradually the he mingles with the family well and tells them that he wants to become boxer like Ruby. From him the family comes to know about Ruby, the jailed boxer and meets him, offers their help to bring him out. Initially Ruby refuses but the Canadian family moves to an apartment in front of that jail and keeps on working on the missing links in Ruby’s case. They finds valuable evidences which can help Ruby to be out. Finally with help of lawyers they reopens the case and the Judge rules in favour of Ruby saying that the previous judgement is ill minded and violates the constitution which guarantees free and fair trail of victims irrespective of their nationality and lets him free only in 1984. Before Ruby becomes a free bird the retrail which was ordered in 1976 by New Jersey court also convicts him again in 1976.

While in jail, what I liked most of the movie is, the way Ruby controls his senses. Usually in such circumstances, the environment and the kind of treatment offered by the wards leads to loss of mental balance. In such a situation Ruby never left his daily routine exercise like any other boxer to keep his senses under control. Though he fought with the help of loving family who had nothing to do with him except a relation as general as relation among the ordinary human beings, the way he stood up for his rights really admired me. The court proceedings also creates a styled enthusiasm. Finally he becomes free and flees to Canada along with that family. On the stairs in front of the court while responding to a question about his experiences in jail, he looks at open sky as he is not able to see the sunlight except the gloomy electric bulbs. He finally comments, “ The Hurricane is Beautiful”. This reminds me another story I read as part of my English lessons as high school student, Jessy Owens who also fought with the colour discrimination which is prevalent in 50s of last century, before he qualifies for Olympics ! What I could gather is that the so called leading democracy in the world, the US is not so democratic towards a major section of its population.

Dylon's Poem in Solidorty to Ruby

Pistol shots ring out in the barroom night
Enter Patty Valentine from the upper hall.
She sees the bartender in a pool of blood,
Cries out, "My God, they killed them all!"
Here comes the story of the Hurricane,
The man the authorities came to blame
For somethin' that he never done.
Put in a prison cell, but one time he could-a been
The champion of the world.
Three bodies lyin' there does Patty see
And another man named Bello, movin' around mysteriously.
"I didn't do it," he says, and he throws up his hands
"I was only robbin' the register, I hope you understand.
"I saw them leavin'," he says, and he stops
"One of us had better call up the cops."
And so Patty calls the cops
And they arrive on the scene with their red lights flashin'
In the hot New Jersey night.
Meanwhile, far away in another part of town
Rubin Carter and a couple of friends are drivin' around.
Number one contender for the middleweight crown
Had no idea what kinda shit was about to go down
When a cop pulled him over to the side of the road
Just like the time before and the time before that.
In Paterson that's just the way things go.
If you're black you might as well not show up on the street
'Less you wanna draw the heat.
Alfred Bello had a partner and he had a rap for the cops.
Him and Arthur Dexter Bradley were just out prowlin' around
He said, "I saw two men runnin' out, they looked like middleweights
They jumped into a white car with out-of-state plates."
And Miss Patty Valentine just nodded her head.
Cop said, "Wait a minute, boys, this one's not dead"
So they took him to the infirmary
And though this man could hardly see
They told him that he could identify the guilty men.
Four in the mornin' and they haul Rubin in,
They took him to the hospital and they brought him upstairs.
The wounded man looks up through his one dyin' eye
Says, "Why'd you bring him in here for? He ain't the guy!"
Here's the story of the Hurricane,
The man the authorities came to blame
For somethin' that he never done.
Put in a prison cell, but one time he could-a been
The champion of the world.
Four months later, the ghettos are in flame,
Rubin's in South America, fightin' for his name
While Arthur Dexter Bradley's still in the robbery game
And the cops are puttin' the screws to him, lookin' for somebody to blame.
"Remember that murder that happened in a bar?"
"Remember you said you saw the getaway car?"
"You think you'd like to play ball with the law?"
"Think it might-a been that fighter that you saw runnin' that night?"
"Don't forget that you are white."
Arthur Dexter Bradley said, "I'm really not sure."
Cops said, "A poor boy like you could use a break
We got you for the motel job and we're talkin' to your friend Bello
You don't wanta have to go back to jail, be a nice fellow.
You'll be doin' society a favor.
That sonofabitch is brave and gettin' braver.
We want to put his ass in stir
We want to pin this triple murder on him
He ain't no Gentleman Jim."
Rubin could take a man out with just one punch
But he never did like to talk about it all that much.
It's my work, he'd say, and I do it for pay
And when it's over I'd just as soon go on my way
Up to some paradise
Where the trout streams flow and the air is nice
And ride a horse along the trail.
But then they took him to the jailhouse
Where they try to turn a man into a mouse.
All of Rubin's cards were marked in advance
The trial was a pig-circus, he never had a chance.
The judge made Rubin's witnesses drunkards from the slums
To the white folks who watched he was a revolutionary bum
And to the black folks he was just a crazy nigger.
No one doubted that he pulled the trigger.
And though they could not produce the gun,
The D.A. said he was the one who did the deed
And the all-white jury agreed.
Rubin Carter was falsely tried.
The crime was murder "one," guess who testified?
Bello and Bradley and they both baldly lied
And the newspapers, they all went along for the ride.
How can the life of such a man
Be in the palm of some fool's hand?
To see him obviously framed
Couldn't help but make me feel ashamed to live in a land
Where justice is a game.
Now all the criminals in their coats and their ties
Are free to drink martinis and watch the sun rise
While Rubin sits like Buddha in a ten-foot cell
An innocent man in a living hell.
Yes, that's the story of the Hurricane,
But it won't be over till they clear his name
And give him back the time he's done.
Put in a prison cell, but one time he could-a been
The champion of the world.

Monday, August 25, 2008

Valuable Vally

Monday, August 25, 2008
Valuable Valley
This is just to share my thoughts with the viewers of my blog space on the ongoing controversy over the land transfer in Jammu to Sri Amarnath Shrine Board which turned in to factionist movement in Kashmir and religious frenzy in Jammu, both of antithetical to the constitutional spirit of India.

I feel this whole situation is creation of ruling parties eying on the forthcoming assembly and parliament elections without calculating the risk of opening Pandora’s Box. Much deeper issues involved here are the issues relating to crises of Identity in both Jammu and Kashmir region. Over the last six decades both the major players at Center and in Jammu Kashmir played by wiping this identity issues. Out of my little observation what I found is that when ever there is sufficient space provided to vent the urge in democratic form, the people supported neither separatists nor religious forces which are bound to destroy the cultural fabric of Jammu and Kashmir. As long as the major ruling parties are utilizing this political space allowed to them in allaying the fears and satisfying people's aspirations the so called separatists sidelined from main stream and happened vice versa also. When ever the ruling parties failed to deliver the commitments and honor the sentiments, in the absence of sufficient democratic space to air their feelings people opted to run under the leadership of dividing forces. Particularly after the last 10 years, the parties which came to power in the state failed to deliver as per the expectations. To shield their failures, the ruling parties are habituated to raise such issues of grabbing the eyeballs with out doing much. With such calculations only the PDP+Cong government paved way for this agitation which is now moving out of their hands even. The party which is part of government in the state and partner in Delhi's UPA alliance, PDP is whipping up with the masses and even not felt difficult to walk up to the Muzaffarpur which is nothing but sheer politics !
Suggestions
1. The center immediately should take steps to de-link the emotional issues that grabbed the main issue.
2. Foot down iron heel on those who are whipping up emotion over the common issues.
3. Find a workable solution to the genuine issue.
4. Isolate both the separatists and communalists from the issues and from the masses to create a buffer zone for democratic activity.

First Impression

I founda reply from one by name Kavita in my Zorpia page. Following her suggestions I opened http//;teche.blogspot.... where after I was guided to start my own blog which ended by opening Social Things ! It is amaging. It only took five minutes for me who is not so wellversed with blogging to create my own blog space.... hope with this i can reach in to new vistas.....