The Dance of Death

Dance of Death

          I was thrilled to find out that France gained recognition around the fourteen century for a medieval superstition called the Dance of Death. The knowledge behind this underlying theory is: “a warning for powerful men, a comfort to the poor.”  When it is time for harvest we shall all rip what we sew.  Most people can attest to this reasonable dialogue as a practical example of life’s reality.  Furthermore, we should all be careful of how we treat each other because sooner or later we shall join this mystical dance carnival. In spite of the fact that there have been many translations of this masterpiece, the significance of the myth still remains. This myth implies whether we are rich or poor we will all die. However, this historic metaphor was able to survive because of a prominent research. Guyot Merchant published the first version of this book in the year 1427. Nonetheless, in spite of all the different versions through the years, the thesis remains unchangeable: “it makes men remember that they all will die, without exception.”

            In addition, most of the medieval transcribes illustrate how the angels of death will receive you when you die. Some of the archives we have today, were done in the form of paintings, carvings, manuscripts and books. They were mostly done by prominent artists or in some case ordinary people. The original creator for this myth is unknown but the essence behind the theory is very symbolic. In other words, this superstition is believed to be a spiritual mentor and security for the righteous. The angel of death is sure to take revenge whenever oppressors prey on the weak. In this regard, the myth was adored and celebrated as a totem. Thus, most of the people at the time believed that the delusion was symbolic and as a result, most of the depictions were placed in both sacred and public locations. 

           Finally, I have come to realize that the meaning of this fabrication has a direct effect on today’s world. The most important things we learn from every religion impacts us the same way as illustrated in the Death of Dance. No one is an exception. Kings and Queens will face judgment when they die as well as the people they rule. For example, I come from a village in Sierra Leone and most of the things we did was guided by an ancestral myth. For instance, when a farmer climbs a tree and falls, it is believed that his wife is cheating on him. Another example of a myth was, if you steal from someone you will pay back in seven fold when you meet the angel of death.  I can connect these and many other theories from around the world back to the Dance of Death. Therefore, we have nowhere to hide, so remember how you live your life.      

            In conclusion, those who live a positive life will surely enjoy dancing with the angel of death. In contrast, those who did evil acts will be punished and burnt to ashes when they face the dance of death.   It is fair to say this theory has provided mankind with a balance on how to live in harmony with others, whether or not you believe in any religion or the laws of the constitution. Respect your fellow mankind or else the angel of death will be merciless on you.

Works Cited

http://www.godecookery.com/macabre/holdod/holdod.htm

                                  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danse_Macabre

                                    http://www.poetry-archive.com/b/the_dance_of_death.html

                                    http://www.lamortdanslart.com/danse/dance.htm

Symbolism

THE DANCE OF DEATH
by: Charles Baudelaire
Carrying bouquet, and handkerchief and gloves,
Proud of her height as when she lived, she moves
With all the careless and high-stepping grace,
And the extravagant courtesan's thin face.
 
Was slimmer waist e'er in a ball-room wooed?
Her floating robe, in royal amplitude,
Falls in deep folds around a dry foot, shod
With a bright flower-like shoe that gems the sod.
 
The swarms that hum about her collar-bones
As the lascivious streams caress the stones,
Conceal from every scornful jest that flies,
Her gloomy beauty; and her fathomless eyes
 
Are made of shade and void; with flowery sprays
Her skull is wreathed artistically, and sways,
Feeble and weak, on her frail vertebrae.
O charm of nothing decked in folly! they
 
Who laugh and name you a Caricature,
They see not, they whom flesh and blood allure,
The nameless grace of every bleached, bare bone,
That is most dear to me, tall skeleton!
 
http://www.poetry-archive.com/b/the_dance_of_death.html




Symbols                      Denotations

Bouquet:                    Collection of flowers.
Handkerchief:           Small cloth for wiping the nose.
Gloves:                       Covering for the hand with sheaths for the fingers.
Proud:                        Feeling or causing pride.
Careless:                     Not paying enough attention.
Grace:                        Beauty of form.
Extravagant:              Someone wasteful.
Courtesan:                 Prostitute
Waist:                         body part between the ribs and the thigh.
Ball-room:                  Large room for social dances.
Robe:                          Long loose outer garment.
Royal:                         Of a monarch, kingdom.
Deep:                          Extending far down.
Bright:                        Shining full.
Flower:                       A plant that grows for it blossoms.
Shoe:                          Outer covering for the foot.
Gem:                          Precious stone.
Swarms:                     Colony of bees.
Collar-bone:               The clavicle, the top bony part of the shoulder.
Streams:                     Small River.
Stones:                        Solid nonmetallic mineral matter.
Scornful:                    To refuse.
Flies:                           Move through the air using wings.
Beauty:                       Pleasing quality as in looks.
Fathomless:                Very deep.
Shade:                         Partial light cut by darkness.
Void:                           Empty.
Skull:                          Bony frame work of the head.
Wreathed:                  A circular band of flower.
Artistically:                Of art or artist.
Sway:                          Swing from side to side.
Feeble:                        Very weak or sick.
Frail:                           Having delicate health.
Charm:                       A power of pleasing or attracting.
Folly:                          Lack of understanding or sense.
Laugh:                        To express pleasure.
Caricature:                A picture description of a person.
Flesh:                          Humankind, muscular and fatty tissue.
Blood:                         The fluid that circulate in the principal vascular system of human.
Nameless:                   Having no name.
Bleached:                   To make lighter or whiter in color.
Bone:                          One of the structures composing the skeleton of a vertebrate.
Tall:                            Great height.
Skeleton:                            The bones of a human or an animal consider as a whole.

Symbols                      Connotation

Bouquet:                    Ready to attract.                    
Handkerchief:           Very decent person    
Gloves:                       High-class woman in public.
Proud:                        Self Confidence.
Careless:                     Calm and relaxed.
High-stepping grace: Peaceful.
Extravagant:              Well constructed.
Courtesan                  Gold digger.
Slimmer waist:           Very sexy.                               .
Ball-room:                  Target place to attract rich men.
Floating Robe:           Ancient style of dress for women of importance.                              .
Royal amplitude:       Available only to the high ranks.                    .
Deep fold:                  Hidden agenda.                                  .
Dry Foot:                   Walking around.                                 .
Bright flower-like:     Expensive shoes.                     .
Gem:                           Lights up the floor.                             .
Swarms:                     All the men trying to reach her.
Collar-bone:               Trying to look at her breast                  
Lascivious streams:   A setup road or trap.               .
Stones:                        Ready to embrace.
Scornful jest:             Gossips, jealousy or haters.                 .
Flies:                           Less important people.
Gloomy Beauty:        Inside beauty.
Fathomless eyes:        Cannot be evaluated.
Shade and void:         Very cheap.                             .
Skull is wreathed:      Description of a princess.                                .
Artistically:                A beautiful imagination.
Sway:                          Going nowhere.
Feeble:                        Helpless.
Frail vertebrae:         Confused person.                                .
Charm:                       Hoping for something good to happen.
Decked in folly:         No one seems to care.             .
Laugh:                        Hypocrites.
Caricature:                Funny looking.
Flesh:                          Men.
Blood:                         Love
Nameless:                   to search for.              
Bleached:                   Pretending.
Bare bone:                 Ordinary people.                                 .
Tall Skeleton:            Strong man or a handsome guy.                    

Away From Home

Hello friends,

My name is Joseph Cole, I am from a country far and small called Sierra Leone. I now live in New York City. I love to exercise a lot and help people get healthy and physically fit. I am currently enrolled in the Physical Therapy Associate program at LaGuardia Community College and will hopefully graduate by next fall.

I will be sharing most of my life experince through my own writing with you on this blog.

I hope that you like what you get here.