AP Success - AP English Language: Medieval Spain in the Contemporary Mind
This passage is excerpted from a recent work that examines popular conceptions of the history of medieval Spain
Source 1If you have read anything about medieval Spain, thenyou probably know about convivencia—the peaceful“coexistence” of Muslims, Christians, and Jews for nearlyeight hundred years on the Iberian peninsula. The story5is invariably told in the same way: “once upon a time,”1after the Muslim invasion of the Iberian peninsula in 711,a “culture of tolerance”2was created among Muslims,Christians, and Jews. Tolerant adherents of these three10Abrahamic faiths shared philosophical and scientificlearning, translating previously unknown sources (especiallythe works of Aristotle) for the rest of Europe. “But,” theauthor or narrator intones in his gravest voice, “this worldtoo quickly vanished. Greed, fear, and intolerance swept it15away. Puritanical judgments and absolutism snuffed out thelight of learning.” Then the author or narrator laments theloss of this vanished world: “it was truly a bright light inwhat was largely a dark and ignorant medieval landscape.Its loss is one of the great tragedies in history.”320This isalmost always followed by a didactic—and dramatic—moralabout the relevance of medieval Spain for contemporaryproblems: “Humanity has never completely found the wayback. Medieval Spain might help point the way.”425This is afairy tale for adults who, like children, know nothing aboutthe actual (medieval) world it attempts to describe. The storyof convivencia fulfills the requirements of the genre, repleteas it is with exotic journeys in faraway lands and epic battles30between noble heroes and depraved villains. And like allfairy tales, this story of convivencia tells us much more aboutthe world of storytelling in which it was created than aboutthe historical past or objective reality, on which it is onlyloosely based.35While some of the recent books on convivencia havegestured in the direction of scholarly discourse, moreoften than not, they cannot resist the temptation to indulgeour basest tendencies to Orientalism and exoticism. Innearly every popular recounting of convivencia, images40of an Islamic locus amoenus abound: we hear of gardens,bath-houses, exotic fruits, and enchanting mosques. ChrisLowney, in A Vanished World, emphasized that “daily lifewas transformed as exotic new species like cotton, figs,spinach, and watermelon burgeoned in fields nourished by45new irrigation techniques.” The “luxury and sophistication”of the Islamic city of Cordoba “undoubtedly surpassedanything found elsewhere in Europe.” Maria Rosa Menocal’ssyrupy confection, The Ornament of the World, simmersunder a thick layer of Orientalized cheese. Some of her50chapter titles themselves suffice to prove the point, “ThePalaces of Memory,” “The Mosque and the Palm Tree,” “AGrand Vizier, A Grand City,” “The Gardens of Memory,”and “Sailing Away, Riding Away.” And when these authorsdescribe Islam, it is with the wonderment and delight of55a tourist. We, their audience, are supposed to share intheir surprise—and in the delicious irony—that Islamwas a peaceful, tolerant religion, while Christianity waspersecutory, cruel, and violent.1 Maria Rosa Menocal, Ornament of the World: How Muslims,60Christians, and Jews Created a Culture of Tolerance in Medieval Spain(New York: Little, Brown, 2002), 5.2 The subtitle of Menocal’s Ornament of the World.3 Chris Lowney, A Vanished World: Muslims, Christians, and Jews inMedieval Spain (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005).654 Lowney, A Vanished World, 14.
1
The author most likely uses the term "convivencia" in the context of medieval Spain to describe:
The legal systems governing the interactions between different faiths.
The economic dependencies among various communities.
The cultural and philosophical exchanges among Muslims, Christians, and Jews.
The military alliances between different religious groups.
The architectural influences shared among different religious groups.
2
In lines 7-9, the phrase "a 'culture of tolerance'" is used to suggest that:
There was a legal framework ensuring peaceful cohabitation.
Muslims, Christians, and Jews lived without any conflicts.
The religious leaders collaborated to maintain peace.
Different religious communities respected each other's beliefs.
The term might be an oversimplification of a complex reality.
3
The author implies that the narrative of convivencia is:
A narrative with some basis in reality but exaggerated over time.
An accurate depiction of medieval Spanish society.
A myth perpetuated by modern historians.
A story created to promote interfaith harmony.
A well-documented historical fact.
4
The term "fairy tale" (line 26) suggests that the author views the story of convivencia as:
An important cultural heritage.
A valuable lesson for contemporary society.
Unrealistic and overly simplified.
A historical account with some elements of truth.
Enchanting and magical.
5
According to the passage, the story of convivencia often includes which of the following elements?
Detailed accounts of daily life in medieval Spain.
Exaggerated portrayals of harmony and collaboration.
Illustrations of the shared architectural styles.
Criticism of the current historical understanding of the period.
Descriptions of the intellectual exchanges among different communities.
6
The author’s tone in discussing the portrayal of convivencia can best be described as:
Indifferent.
Nostalgic.
Skeptical.
Admiring.
Enthusiastic.
7
In lines 13-16, the author's use of the phrase "this world too quickly vanished" implies that:
The changes were inevitable due to internal conflicts.
The end of convivencia was abrupt and unexpected.
Historians regret the end of this era.
The peaceful coexistence was a transient phase.
The transition was a result of external forces.
8
The passage suggests that the story of convivencia is primarily used to:
Educate people about medieval Spanish history.
Encourage academic research on the period.
Promote tourism in Spain.
Provide a moral lesson for contemporary issues.
Celebrate the achievements of medieval scholars.
9
The reference to Chris Lowney and Maria Rosa Menocal (lines 41-53) is used to illustrate:
How contemporary authors romanticize the past.
The impact of convivencia on modern literature.
Different historical interpretations of convivencia.
The diversity of sources on medieval Spanish history.
The academic debate on the authenticity of the convivencia narrative.
10
The passage implies that the author believes the story of convivencia:
Should be reevaluated in light of new historical evidence.
Has been accurately portrayed in most historical accounts.
Remains an essential part of understanding medieval Spain.
Is more reflective of modern values than historical realities.
Needs to be preserved to foster interfaith understanding.
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