miércoles, 20 de abril de 2022

ROBIN HOOD - REBEL, HERO, LEGEND / ROBIN HOOD - REBELDE, HÉROE, LEYENDA.

Hi my dear friends. Robin Hood, a hero or a legend? Today we are going to know a bit more about this extraordinay man. A rebel outlaw!

Hola mis queridos amigos. Robin Hood, ¿héroe o leyenda? Hoy vamos a saber un poco más sobre este hombre excepcional. Un forajido rebelde. 


Info: from Speak Up magazine.

Photos: es.aleteia.org  /  jotdown.es  /  fotogramas.es.  /  elclubdante.es  /  pinterest.es



ROBIN  HOOD

Probably the most famous legendary character in English folklore, Robin Hood is also one of the most elusive. The popular outlaw from Nottinghamshire has fascinated people all over the world thanks to the legends passed down through the generations, and turned into countless books, films and TV series.

The general consensus is that Robin Hood lived in Sherwood Forest, in the heart of Nottinghamshire, with his companions, or "merry men", and that he robbed the rich who passed through that forest to give  the spoils to the poor.  According to the stories, his arch enemy was the Sheriff of Nottingham, a local agent of the central government.  Other enemies included any wealthy landowners, particularly rich members of the Church.




REALITY

Many attempts have been made to prove that Robin Hood was in fact a real historical figure, but the only concrete evidence of his existence can be found in a few chronicle references and ballads. Although some of them date back to the 14th century, even the medieval chronicle writers who make reference to Robin Hood clearly state that the ballads themselves were the only source material available to them.


These old documents are the closest we can come to any written evidence that such a person existed, and they don't even contain all of the familiar elements of the story.  It wasn't until the 16th century and later that the Robin character changed from being a simple outlaw to a fallen nobleman.

Robin's lady love, Maid Marion, didn't appear till later when the stories took on a more romantic flavour and lost some of their revolutionary nature and social bite.




HISTORICAL PERIOD

One popular modern belief is that Robin Hood lived at the time of Richard I, the great crusader king who earned the title of "Coeur de Lion" - the "Lionheart".

Richard was said to be the hero of Robin Hood and his merry men as they campaigned against the cruelty of Richard's wicked brother, John. When Richard was captured and imprisoned by the German king while sailing back to England from a crusade, John ruled England mercilessly, with the Sheriff of Nottingham as his most ruthless representative.


MEDIEVAL LIFE

While many of the stories remain unproven, one thing is certain: cruelty was an integral part of medieval life. Robin Hood's time was an era of turbulence, rebellions and agrarian discontent, which led, for example, to the Peasants Revolt of 1381.  The earlier Robin Hood ballads may have been the poetic expression of popular feeling at the time. It's easy to imagine suffering common people enjoying a ballad about a free but persecuted outlaw hunting in the forest and outwitting the oppressive forces of law and order.




MEANING

Perhaps the question we should ask ourselves is not whether Robin Hood was a real figure, but what he came to represent -and why.  Over the years, he has symbolised Saxon defiance of Norman rule, free access to common land and the forest, and a quest for justice. Interestingly, Robin Hood's political significance today is very similar, centring on taxation of the rich as a means of redistributing wealth and reducing inequality in society.  So, perhaps it's not surprising that Robin Hood remains a popular, iconic figure and a symbol of progressive thinking rather than a throwback to the past.



VOCABULARY

HOOD: capucha  /  ELUSIVE: huidizo  /  OUTLAW: forajido  /  TO PASS DOWN: transmitir  /  SPOILS: botín  /  ARCH ENEMY: archienemigo  /  TO STATE:  afirmar  /  SOURCE: fuente  /  FALLEN NOBLEMAN: noble venido a menos  /  MAID: doncella  /  FLAVOUR: aroma, sabor  /  BITE: filo, acento  /  BELIEF: creencia  /  CRUSADER: cruzado  /  WICKED: malvado  /  TO RULE: gobernar  /  MERCILESSLY: sin piedad  /  PEASANTS: campesinos  /  TO OUTWIT: superar en ingenio  /  DEFIANCE: desafío  /  QUEST: búsqueda  /  






miércoles, 6 de abril de 2022

DIWALI / FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS - DIWALI / EL FESTIVAL DE LAS LUCES

Hi my dear friends. Today we are going to know a bit more about an Indian celebration, Diwali. I hope you'll like it!

Hola mis queridos amigos. Hoy vamos a saber un poquito más sobre una celebración India, Diwali. ¡Espero que os guste!




Info: from Speak Up magazine.

Photos: birminghammail.co.uk  /  news.leicester.gow.uk  /  nationalgeographic.es  /  unapausaagradable.es  /  indianstyle.es


Diwali is an important event in the Hindu religious calendar -as significant as Christmas for Christians. The five-day Festival of Lights is celebrated by millions of Hindus, Sikhs and Jains around the world. It celebrates the victory of hope over despair, knowledge over ignorance and good over evil.

Diwali marks different historical events for each religion. Hindus celebrate the return of the gods Rama and Sita after exile, and the destruction of the demon Mahisha by Mother goddess Durga.  Jains commemorate the moment their founder, Lord Mahavira, reached nirvana, a state of eternal bliss.  Sikhs honour the day that Guru Hargobind Ji was freed from imprisonment.





LIGHTING THE  LAMPS

For all religions that celebrate Diwali, however, it symbolises the triumph of light over darkness. The name "Diwali" comes from the Sanskrit word "deepavali", which means "row of lighted lamps".  This is because people light rows of diyas, small oil lamps, at home, on the streets, in temples and afloat on rivers. It is a beautiful sight.




GOOD LUCK

There are also many other traditions to celebrate Diwali. Floors are covered with rangoli, colourful designs made of rice, sand or flower petals. Doors and windows are opened so that Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, can enter to bless the occupants.

Some people gamble to attract good luck for the year ahead. By playing card games, they commemorate the contests between the gods Shiva and Parvati. In honour of Lakshmi, the female player always wins.



SPECIAL DAYS

Each of the five days has its own observances. On the first day, called Dhanteras, people clean their homes and buy small, gold items to bring good fortune. The second day, called Narak Chaturdashi, is dedicated to prayers for ancestors. Diyas are lit and floors decorated with rangoli. The third day, known as Lakshmi Puja or Diwali Puja (puja means "prayer"), is the main day of the festival. Families gather to pray to Lakshmi, followed by feasts and firework displays. The fourth day, called Goverdhan Puja, celebrates Lord Krishna's defeat of the god king Indra.  People visit friends and families with gifts. It is also the start of the new year in the Hindu calendar, so business people perform religious ceremonies and open new account books.


HONOURING THE FAMILY

The fifth day, called Bhai Dooj, celebrates the bond between siblings. Brothers bring gifts to their sisters, and sisters pray for their brothers to have long and happy lives.







DIWALI IN LEICESTER

Leicester, in the East Midlands, hosts the biggest celebrations of Diwali outside of India, with thousands of lights decorating the city's "Golden Mile". The city has a large Asian community. Many Hindu and Sikh people moved there in the  1950s and 1960s.  A decade later, many Asian people expelled from Uganda also came to Leicester.  Diwali was celebrated in their homes at first. As the community grew, the council, community workers and residents decided to display Diwali lights in the city.  The first public lights were lit in 1983. By the 1990s,  Diwali became a major festival that attracted people from all over the country.  Today, some 6,500 lights are lit and fifty events held, including music, dance, and, of course, a spectacular fireworks show.

                                            *************************************

VOCABULARY

HOPE: esperanza  /  DESPAIR: desesperación  /  KNOWLEDGE: conocimiento  /  EVIL: el mal  /  GODS: dioses  /  GODDESS: diosa  /  TO REACH: alcanzar  /  BLISS: felicidad  /  TO FREE: liberar  /  ROW: fila  /  AFLOAT: flotando  /  WEALTH: riqueza   /  TO BLESS: bendecir  /  TO GATHER: reunirse  /  DEFEAT: derrota  /  BOND: vínculo  /  TO HOST: albergar.  /  TO HOLD: organizar.


SEE YOU MY FRIENDS!