In Spanish class, we've been perusing the artists of the Golden Age, and are currently watching a video on El Greco. He was a Spanish painter, but was born under a Greek name in Greece. In his early years, he studied Renaissance painters such as Rafael and Michelangelo, and attempted to mimic their styles rather than the Byzatine style of his native Greece. But after moving to Spain and living in Toledo for a number of years, historians say that he finally developed his true "El Greco" style. Interestingly, it was unlike the Renaissance painters' works that he had studied for so long, but was rather more similar to Byzantine works.
I found this to be an interesting parallel to Crevecoer. Crevecoer, though not a native of America, considered himself (somewhat) to be an American and seemed to find his personal identity here rather than in his native France. It seems as though both men "found" themselves and developed a true sense of identity outside of their native land. What do you guys think of this?
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I agree. Crevecoeur definitely seems to have developed a personal identity while living in America. However, I wonder how he previously felt about his identity prior to coming to America. Do you think he considered himself a Frenchman? Or perhaps he felt that he had no connection to any country at all?
ReplyDelete-Bryce Cody
Personally, I think Crevecoeur had a very strong connection to America, but I don't think he considered himself American vs French or British or anything else. I feel connected to America and I would say I am American because I have lived here all my life, but if I move to Europe in my later life, I wouldn't still consider myself American. Maybe a big part of it is that I don't have a specific definition for "American" but even if I did, I would change and adapt to the new country I was in, so how could I still consider myself American?
ReplyDelete-Alexa
I think that people identify most with the country that upholds the greatest number of their beliefs and principles. In Crevecoeur's case, this country was most likely America and in El Greco's case it was most likely Greece. The country that a person identifies most strongly with doesn't have to be their native land; it just has to offer some type of emotional or ideological connection.
ReplyDeleteTara
I think Crevecoeur most definitely found his identity in America. I think you develop a sense connection either to a country whose beliefs you share or one which you were born in. I'm sure Crevecoeur still felt some connection to his native-land. However, at a time when there was so much change in political ideology, he found his own beliefs reflected much better in America. The connection of beliefs was stronger for him than the pull of his birthplace.
ReplyDelete~Becca