Ethnocentricity Blog Post

The aboriginals were stereotyped by the British as natives who didn't have the capability to reason or act rationally. This was shown in several incidents through the word choice the British had chosen when they were describing the First Australians in Bennelong's obituary. It is stated in the obituary that Bennelong's form that he was born into by nature, being the aboriginal way of life, was savage. The ethnocentricity of the British played a big part in starting the conflicts between them and the aboriginals. Since they viewed the aboriginals as savage, the British came to believe that they're culture and style of living were better and more civilized. This led to the belief that the aboriginals were inferior to the British, and were basically looked down upon. They were disregarded of any type of any human emotions, and that they're opinions did not matter. As time passed, their relationship started to develop for the worse, and eventually led to several conflicts between the two. An example of one of these conflicts was when the colonists ravaged the lands and got rid of all kinds of nature to build their own buildings. Nature played a very important role in the aboriginal's culture, and when the British simply got rid of it without asking, they felt offended and mistreated. One of the aboriginals felt so offended by this, he set fire to the colonist's crops. Another conflict was when one British colonist was hunting aboriginals for sport, due to his disregard for they're emotions. This led to the aboriginal's to seek revenge and killed him as a form of retribution. This enraged the British colonists, and eventually led to massacres of aboriginals in order to punish everyone who took part in the murder. Overall I think that the majority of the conflicts that were raised was due to the British's ignorance and lack of respect for the natives. They regarded them as inhuman, and they didn't take time to think about how the aboriginals would feel if they did something that might significantly affect their country, or culture.

Julius Caesar Performance Assessment.

For the performance assessment, I have chosen what I think to be the one of the most significant moments during the play, the following passage is that specific moment, which can be found in Act 3, Scene 2, Lines 12-34.

"Be patient till the last.
Romans, countrymen, and lovers! hear me for my
cause, and be silent, that you may hear: believe me
for mine honour, and have respect to mine honour, that
you may believe: censure me in your wisdom, and
awake your senses, that you may the better judge.
If there be any in this assembly, any dear friend of
Caesar's, to him I say, that Brutus' love to Caesar
was no less than his. If then that friend demand
why Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my answer:
--Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved
Rome more. Had you rather Caesar were living and
die all slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to live
all free men? As Caesar loved me, I weep for him;
as he was fortunate, I rejoice at it; as he was
valiant, I honour him: but, as he was ambitious, I
slew him. There is tears for his love; joy for his
fortune; honour for his valour; and death for his
ambition. Who is here so base that would be a
bondman? If any, speak; for him have I offended.
Who is here so rude that would not be a Roman? If
any, speak; for him have I offended. Who is here so
vile that will not love his country? If any, speak;
for him have I offended. I pause for a reply."

The context of this passage is during Brutus's speech, and he is is hoping that the crowd would be able understand his position, and not rebel against him, and through his persuasive and authoritative speech, he was able to do so. He explains to the crowd the differences between having Caesar alive and dead, and was able to win the crowd over in the end.

I believe this is an important scene during the play because Brutus explains his intentions for murdering Caesar to the crowd, and tries to make his hopes and predictions on how the crowd would see them as purgers, and not murderers come true. This speech characterizes Brutus as noble, and devoted to his country, and it becomes obvious that Brutus killed for the better of Rome, not out of jealousy and hatred, meaning he was patriotic. This is also significant because it just goes to show how fickle and ignorant roman citizens could be, at one point were enraged about Caesar's death, and after a bit of flattering, they all ended up agreeing that Caesar was a tyrant and deserved to have died. They changed they're minds quickly without thinking of any of the good things that Caesar has accomplished. In addition, since we know at this point that Antony is actually against the conspirators, it probably means that he would be able to convince the city of Rome against Brutus during his speech.