Analysis of Journeys over Land and Sea #
Curator’s Assertions: #
Voyages of discovery of many kinds:
Physical journey to unknown place
Mental exploration of new of familiar territory
New episode of creative thought.
This part of the exhibition reveals the world as imagined, seen and recorded by Europeans and Americans during the past five centuries.
Techniques:
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Graphics, Two features:
a mythical sea monster threatening a boat.
This graphic depicts the fears of most sailors in ancient and medieval times of monsters that threaten their safety. As the web site states: *“*Other books in the collections express the anxieties of the earliest travelers, who journeyed into the unknown fearful of monsters, savage weather, and plummeting over the edge of the map”.
The image of the monster towers over the boat as if about to devour the sailors.
A symbolic representation of the universe.
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- Book 2: cosmology, astronomy and meteorology
The images are imaginary and representational, suggestive of mankind’s attempt to conquer not only earth but the universe. The sun appears perturbed about the dominance of humans?.
The four elements, earth, air, water and fire are all depicted. The spherical shapes indicate that Pliny was aware of the earth’s probable shape?
Layout: Arrangement of Page: #
On the website the two illustrations are on opposite sides of the page, while in the BOS booklet they are both on the right hand side with the text on the left.
Language.
Mostly language of information:
Formal register of language. No familiar colloquialisms.
Impersonal statement; The writer tries to be objective and refrains from colouring one’s ideas and imposing them on the reader. Pronouns are They, them, one, whoever…….
A neutral tone or attitude. Little emotion or temperament.
emphasis on clarity of expression rather than complexity. Short sentences.
explicit rather than implicit.
word order Subject, transitive verb, object.
The passive voice keeps the writer detached, removed and aloof maintaining an impersonal tone without any hint of the writer’s attitude.
However, there is also evidence of loaded language with overtones of emotive persuasion:
Compelled – people are driven by intrinsic needs to discover new areas.
Lavishly illustrated – a value loaded statement
General tone of passage is upbeat and promotional.