An Analysis of the Mythic Storytelling of Marco Polo and the Detailed and Objective Cross-Cultural Descriptions of William of Rubruck
This historical analysis will define the abstract mythic descriptions of Mongolian society that Marco Polo brings forth in contrast to the William of Rubruck’s objective and highly detailed analysis of cross-cultural interactions in Mongolian society. Marco polo tends to dramatize and abstract the mythic descriptions of Mongolians, which tends to discredit his accounts as a type of storytelling style. The story of the Great Khan’s victories through the “Baron Bayan” defines one example of this mythic retelling of supposed historical events in the formation of the Mongolian Empire. In contrast tot his storytelling …show more content…
For instance, Polo tends to tell stories about the origins of the Great Khan’s rise to power through a European framework. In some cases, Polo describes the general attributes of Mongolian/ Chinese society when he continually makes observations of seeing paper money as a the primary currency of the Great Khan: “Using paper money, living by commerce and industry” (Polo 195). Surely, these observations provide an account of generalized economic activity, but this repetitive view of the Mongolian people provides very few details of personal interactions. More so, Polo tends to recite a mythic historical narrative that further abstracts his travelogue of the great Khan. In one story, the rise of the Great Kahn a leader of the Mongolian Empire arises from the military leadership of “Baron Bayan.” Bayan was a great military figure in the Mongolian empire, which allowed the great Khan to take various cities to expand his powerbase. Polo tells the successful military campaigns of these historical events in a subjective storytelling …show more content…
More so, Polo tends to define the class status of Bayan as a “Baron”, which reflects the intention to write this narrative for a primarily European audience. These storytelling techniques define the mythical describes of Bayan’s role in the expansion of the Mongol Empire, but this narrative provides a abstracted style that papers to be a promotional history of the Great Khan. These are some of the debatable narratives on the authenticity of Marco Polo’s travel narrative, since it provides these generalized mythic tales that avoid greater detailed observations about the Great Khan and his government.
The travel narrative of William of Rubruck defines the detailed social and class variations of Mongolian society, which provide a more objective view of the life during this historical period. Instead of large-scale storytelling narratives, William of Rubruck defines the specific details of Mangu Chan’s cross-cultural interaction by experiences that take place within certain religious settings. For instance, William of Rubruck reveals how Mangu Chan was interested in meeting with the Christian monks and to witness their ritual
This historical analysis will define the abstract mythic descriptions of Mongolian society that Marco Polo brings forth in contrast to the William of Rubruck’s objective and highly detailed analysis of cross-cultural interactions in Mongolian society. Marco polo tends to dramatize and abstract the mythic descriptions of Mongolians, which tends to discredit his accounts as a type of storytelling style. The story of the Great Khan’s victories through the “Baron Bayan” defines one example of this mythic retelling of supposed historical events in the formation of the Mongolian Empire. In contrast tot his storytelling …show more content…
For instance, Polo tends to tell stories about the origins of the Great Khan’s rise to power through a European framework. In some cases, Polo describes the general attributes of Mongolian/ Chinese society when he continually makes observations of seeing paper money as a the primary currency of the Great Khan: “Using paper money, living by commerce and industry” (Polo 195). Surely, these observations provide an account of generalized economic activity, but this repetitive view of the Mongolian people provides very few details of personal interactions. More so, Polo tends to recite a mythic historical narrative that further abstracts his travelogue of the great Khan. In one story, the rise of the Great Kahn a leader of the Mongolian Empire arises from the military leadership of “Baron Bayan.” Bayan was a great military figure in the Mongolian empire, which allowed the great Khan to take various cities to expand his powerbase. Polo tells the successful military campaigns of these historical events in a subjective storytelling …show more content…
More so, Polo tends to define the class status of Bayan as a “Baron”, which reflects the intention to write this narrative for a primarily European audience. These storytelling techniques define the mythical describes of Bayan’s role in the expansion of the Mongol Empire, but this narrative provides a abstracted style that papers to be a promotional history of the Great Khan. These are some of the debatable narratives on the authenticity of Marco Polo’s travel narrative, since it provides these generalized mythic tales that avoid greater detailed observations about the Great Khan and his government.
The travel narrative of William of Rubruck defines the detailed social and class variations of Mongolian society, which provide a more objective view of the life during this historical period. Instead of large-scale storytelling narratives, William of Rubruck defines the specific details of Mangu Chan’s cross-cultural interaction by experiences that take place within certain religious settings. For instance, William of Rubruck reveals how Mangu Chan was interested in meeting with the Christian monks and to witness their ritual