This section of the book begins with the exile of Hasan because he defended his brother in law and asked for a pardon. He is exiled for two years in which he travels to Egypt. As he was making his way down to Egypt, he underwent many mishaps like storms and fires. But he made his way down there and when he went to Egypt he served his time as a diplomat. Hasan eventually finds his way to Rome. While in Rome, the Pope christened him with the name Leo Africanus.
So one thing that I found interesting is that in those days executions and/or exiles were fairly common. It probably happened couple times a weeks. But in our society now, executions or even exiles need lots of reason for them to undergo these kinds of things. How has society evolved so that it is unacceptable for people to go through these things.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Society can't legally exile people because we are considered free and no society really holds the power to exile someone. Being kicked out of a community can really only happen it one commits a serious crime and goes to jail, but a society can't just exile someone to another community today. We have come to accept most people and the views on exiling are frowned upon.
ReplyDeleteI think it's just a matter of change in views. Typical Western society is not so focused on respect. I think exile from your community is such a punishment because the complete loss of respect it symbolizes. But since respect alone is not held so high in the same way today, I don't think exile is applicable. Executions still happen here and there, but only for extreme crimes like serial killing, but certainly significantly less than in the past. I think that society has grown more humane and just. It's no longer entertainment to see someone executed and it is only done in humane non-painful ways. We have progressed to more just ways of punishing people in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree, I wrote on the same topic. I find it so interesting how society has evolved and how executions in that time era are completely and totally unacceptable now. Is it because we have new appreciation for morals and the individual human life?
ReplyDelete