LITR 5737: Literary & Historical Utopias
Historical Presentation 2007
Tuesday, 5 June:
Historical Presentation: Liz Davis: Christianopolis
Christianopolis Utopian Theory
(The Perfect Society)
Johann Valentin Andreae (1586-1654)
Andreae can be described as a Humanist Scholar, Traveler, Social reformer, and Lutheran Preacher (The People’s Almanac)
Christianopolis was created in the year 1618
The basis of Christianopolis is obviously Christianity. “Andreae’s Utopian vision is unique in its synthesis of science of science and Christian ideals as elements of social order.” “The emphasis in Christianopolis on the creation of an enlightened system of learning reflected Andreae’s concern about the oppressive educational practices of his time , and the presentation of a city structure geared towards the orderly production of foods and goods presaged modern urban planning techniques.”
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Christianopolis didn’t receive very much recognition because the work was not translated from the Latin original until the eighteenth century.
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Illustrated as a travel narrative
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Island of Capharsalma
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Shipwrecked
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“Surviving the shipwreck and being cast ashore alive on Capharsalama is not only a rebirth, it is an opportunity to live a better life and die a better death”
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“The visitor is stripped and cleansed by the shipwreck.”
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“being born again begins another childhood, another youth , and even another man hood for us, and urges us to reject the old Adam and model ourselves on Christ, our Book of Life.”
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Lutheran principles
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400 people populated the community of Christianopolis
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The community was located on an Island. It is described as “Well-fortified with 4 towers and a wall”. Two rows of buildings, plus a government building and storehouses. All buildings are 3 stories, with public balconies leading to them.
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The community had a zoning system that basically separated the food, drill, exercise, and public area from industrial areas.
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Christianopolis illustrated a unique idea for the political and social aspect of society. “A republic of workers, living in equality, desiring peace and renouncing riches.” Citizens meet to “act on sacred as well as civil matters.” There were twenty-four councilmen-at-large, a triumvirate of Minister, Judge, and Director of learning for the community.
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The only money in existence was the republic’s treasury. (Houses are publicly owned and allocated along with the furniture. Meals are practiced in privacy , but food is received from public storehouses)
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Industrial area was divided into three; 1.Agriculture and animal husbandry, 2. Food shops and light industry, 3. Heavy industry (Metallurgy, glass, earthenware).
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“The men are not driven to a work with which they are unfamiliar, like pack animals to their task, but they have been trained before in an accurate knowledge of scientific matters….Their artisans are almost entirely educated men.” “Every week each workman receives out of a common stock what is necessary for his work, “For the whole city is, as it were, one common workshop.” A special group makes sure there is sufficient stock for what is to be produced.” “If there is a sufficient amount of stock the workmen are permitted to indulge and give free play to their inventive genius.” The men do not work long, rough, hours so that they do not create rough men.
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Marriage/Family/Sex: “Nuclear family. Lack of chastity is severely punished. Being involved in a marriage is strictly for reproduction. “Even married people “may not injure or weaken themselves by too frequent intercourse.”
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Women: In Andreae’s work women do share the college education with the men. Women have the jobs that involve cloth work and housework. Women are not allowed to vote. “ No woman is ashamed of her household duties, nor does she tire of attending the wants of her husband.”
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Education: At the age of six the children of the community are moved to a community run school where the teachers are prominent members of the community. “the dregs of human society nor such as are useless for other occupations.” Students are taught interdisciplinary skills but are also taught a trade. “that one man, if given enough time, cannot master both.”
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Crime/Punishment: “Punishment most severely those misdeeds which are directed straight against God, less severely those whish injure men, and the lightest of all those who harm property.” Death was rarely ever used as a punishment.
Objective 3f: What social structure, unit, or identities does utopia expose or frustrate?
What changes result in child-rearing, feeding, marriage, aging, sexuality, etc?
(Social units or structures; person/individual/self, gender, sex, family (nuclear or extended), community, village/town/city, class, ethnicity, farm, region, tribe, clan, union, notion, ecosystem, planet.)
How may utopian studies shift the usual American arguments over race, sex, faith, and gender to cultural and socioeconomic class?
Sources:
http://www.enotes.com/literary-crticism/andreae-johann-valentin
“The People’s Almanac” by Davis Wallechinsky & Irving Wallace