Lecture Response

Before I had left for the lecture, I realized that I didn't even know what it was about. So, when I arrived, I was a little hesitant. When Maria Rosa Menocal started speaking, it seemed that she began in medias res, or in the middle of a story. I was a little confused as to what she was talking about. Later I realized that she was explaining the importance of literature and poetry in describing history.

In the beginning of her speech, she often referred to Cervantes and Don Quixote and the many narrators that the novel contained.

She also mentioned how the Christian, Islamic, and Jewish cultures were all interconnected in Spain prior to 1492. She spoke of medieval Spain and how many of the aspects of the culture blended together. A few synagogues even became churches but maintained their Hebrew writings and architecture.

Then, Menocal started reciting poems and explained them in terms of the history of the time in which they were written. Her beautiful slide show added to the experience, but at various times, I did not see how the pictures coincided with her lecture.

The lecture was definitely a worthwhile experience, but for most of it, I was honestly confused.