哥伦布传

Alex Gendler: History vs. Christopher Columbus

Many people in the United States and Latin America have grown up celebrating the anniversary of Christopher Columbus's voyage, but was he an intrepid explorer who brought two worlds together or a ruthless exploiter who brought colonialism and slavery? And did he even discover America at all? It's time to put Columbus on the stand in History vs. Christopher Columbus. "Order, order in the court. Wait, am I even supposed to be at work today?" <i>Cough</i> "Yes, your Honor. From 1792, Columbus Day was celebrated in many parts of the United States on October 12th, the actual anniversary date. But although it was declared an official holiday in 1934, individual states aren't required to observe it. Only 23 states close public services, and more states are moving away from it completely." <i>Cough</i> "What a pity. In the 70s, we even moved it to the second Monday in October so people could get a nice three-day weekend, but I guess you folks just hate celebrations." "Uh, what are we celebrating again?" "Come on, Your Honor, we all learned it in school. Christopher Columbus convinced the King of Spain to send him on a mission to find a better trade route to India, not by going East over land but sailing West around the globe. Everyone said it was crazy because they still thought the world was flat, but he knew better. And when in 1492 he sailed the ocean blue, he found something better than India: a whole new continent." "What rubbish. First of all, educated people knew the world was round since Aristotle. Secondly, Columbus didn't discover anything. There were already people living here for millennia. And he wasn't even the first European to visit. The Norse had settled Newfoundland almost 500 years before." "You don't say, so how come we're not all wearing those cow helmets?" "Actually, they didn't really wear those either." <i>Cough</i> "Who cares what some Vikings did way back when? Those settlements didn't last, but Columbus's did. And the news he brought back to Europe spread far and wide, inspiring all the explorers and settlers who came after. Without him, none of us would be here today." "And because of him, millions of Native Americans aren't here today. Do you know what Columbus did in the colonies he founded? He took the very first natives he met prisoner and wrote in his journal about how easily he could conquer and enslave all of them." "Oh, come on. Everyone was fighting each other back then. Didn't the natives even tell Columbus about other tribes raiding and taking captives?" "Yes, but tribal warfare was sporadic and limited. It certainly didn't wipe out 90% of the population." "Hmm. Why is celebrating this Columbus so important to you, anyway?" "Your Honor, Columbus's voyage was an inspiration to struggling people all across Europe, symbolizing freedom and new beginnings. And his discovery gave our grandparents and great-grandparents the chance to come here and build better lives for their children. Don't we deserve a hero to remind everyone that our country was build on the struggles of immigrants?" "And what about the struggles of Native Americans who were nearly wiped out and forced into reservations and whose descendants still suffer from poverty and discrimination? How can you make a hero out of a man who caused so much suffering?" "That's history. You can't judge a guy in the 15th century by modern standards. People back then even thought spreading Christianity and civilization across the world was a moral duty." "Actually, he was pretty bad, even by old standards. While governing Hispaniola, he tortured and mutilated natives who didn't bring him enough gold and sold girls as young as nine into sexual slavery, and he was brutal even to the other colonists he ruled, to the point that he was removed from power and thrown in jail. When the missionary, Bartolomé de las Casas, visited the island, he wrote, 'From 1494 to 1508, over 3,000,000 people had perished from war, slavery and the mines. Who in future generations will believe this?'" "Well, I'm not sure I believe those numbers." "Say, aren't there other ways the holiday is celebrated?" "In some Latin American countries, they celebrate the same date under different names, such as Día de la Raza. In these places, it's more a celebration of the native and mixed cultures that survived through the colonial period. Some places in the U.S. have also renamed the holiday, as Native American Day or Indigenous People's Day and changed the celebrations accordingly." "So, why not just change the name if it's such a problem?" "Because it's tradition. Ordinary people need their heroes and their founding myths. Can't we just keep celebrating the way we've been doing for a century, without having to delve into all this serious research? It's not like anyone is actually celebrating genocide." "Traditions change, and the way we choose to keep them alive says a lot about our values." "Well, it looks like giving tired judges a day off isn't one of those values, anyway." Traditions and holidays are important to all cultures, but a hero in one era may become a villain in the next as our historical knowledge expands and our values evolve. And deciding what these traditions should mean today is a major part of putting history on trial.

#舉世聞名事件 ——意大利人克里斯托弗. 哥倫布，是15世紀西歐航海家，開闢新航路中，於1492年發現美洲新大陸，震驚了整個世界。 每年10月12日，或是10月第二個星期一，正是哥倫布於1492年，登上美洲大陸的日子。 這一天被定為哥倫布日，也被稱為原住民日，因為這一天，同時也是美洲原住民苦難的開端。 1492年08月03日，受到西班牙女王伊莎貝拉，資助和派遣，第一次率領90名水手，3艘帆船，從巴羅斯港揚帆遠洋，一路向西。 1492年10月12日，哥倫布船隊到達，美洲巴哈馬群島的華特林島。 哥倫布誤以為，他所達之處為印度，故稱當地原住民為:印第安人 #當時歐洲環境 人類發展中，每一次進步，都受到反對者的強烈異議。 幾個世紀前，西班牙是一個迷信和敬畏神的國家，國家統治者和宗教裁判所，會懲罰所有，敢於夢想的人。 在基督教的認知世界，堅信海洋的邊緣就是懸崖。 #哥倫布簡況 1451年，哥倫布出生於，意大利熱亞那一個商人家庭，從小成長環境，造就哥倫布抗挫折，談判，演講多方面能力。 1:挫折能力 敗北葡萄牙國王若昂二世，鍥而不捨尋找金主資助。 2:談判能力 口才說服西班牙伊莎貝拉，獲得經濟資助得以成行。 3:演講能力 船上水手們紛紛要求返航，說服他們繼續往西探險。 #哥倫布探索新航線原因 1:相信地球是圓的，探尋一條大洋往西，通往印度和東南亞香料群島的新通道。 2:作為虔誠的基督徒，要向世界各個角落，每個未知世界，去傳遞上帝的福音。 #西班牙女王資助哥倫布原因 利益，是一切改革巨大推動力。 大航海時代，誰握了海洋，就掌握了全世界。 1:多方面權衡，那是一個投資小，風險很小，回報大的賭注，划算的生意。 2:多次拒絕哥倫布，同為虔誠基督徒，被他信念和執著，傳教精神所打動。 任何事件的發生，都有兩面性，是一把雙刃劍，淺談哥倫布的功與過: #哥倫布功勞 1:發現美洲大陸，使得西方文明，取代了美洲的土著文明，也有了今天世界上最強大的美國。 2:歐洲新航線的開闢，讓世界連成一體，促進了各民族間的交流，加速了資本主義的發展。 3:引起了商業革命與價格革命，整個歐洲和美洲，經濟格局的變革，最終導致了美國的獨立。 4:證明地球是圓的，世界市場形成準備了條件，促進早期的殖民活動，加速商品經濟的發展。 #哥倫布的過失 1:對土著人的大肆屠殺，之前美國境內的土著人至少有3000萬，20世界70年代時不到80萬。 2:美洲是一片淨土，歐洲人帶去天花、霍亂各種病毒，也從美洲帶走了梅毒，傳播的全世界。 3:美洲的發現，非洲黑人的血淚史，三角貿易，奴隸販賣，種植園，無數黑奴死在運奴船上。 #關於發現新大陸 準確應該說，哥倫布是再次發現新大陸。 不管有沒有發現美洲，之前那塊大陸就一直存在，並且住著幾千萬的原住民，被迫被歐洲人改名:印第安人 原住民有自成一體，獨立＆完善的生態＆社會系統:多民族，多語言，多文化…… 一瞬間在哥倫布登陸之後，徹底被西方“文明”的槍炮擊碎＆滅絕。

哥伦布传 (1992)

7.3

1992 / 英国 法国 西班牙 / 剧情 传记 历史 冒险 / 雷德利·斯科特 / 热拉尔·德帕迪约 阿曼德·阿山特

这是斯科特1992年拍摄的史诗片，描写了哥伦布发现美洲新大陆的故事。也是一个英国导演聘用法国明星扮演意大利人在美国拍摄的西班牙的故事。（组成这句话真不容易！）

首先感受的是耳朵。主题曲由希腊作曲家范吉利斯谱写。再现了影片史诗般的气魄。低沉的鼓声，男声的合唱，婉转的小提琴，恢弘的合成器，所有这些组成了摄人心魄的乐声，带我们回到了五百年前。仿佛是对新大陆的憧憬，也像是对艰难险阻的征服，更像是成功的洗礼和理想的追寻。给人无比震撼的感染力，催人奋进，催人泪下。严重建议大家都听听，语言很难描述。前些年的电视剧《士兵突击》和台湾电视片《一寸山河一寸血》都用了这个曲子的主旋律。

1492年的西班牙是它最辉煌的时期。西班牙军队收复了摩尔人霸占几百年的格林纳达。文艺复兴的曙光已经微微照亮了黑暗的中世纪。人们被禁锢近千年的头脑在慢慢的苏醒。教会要传播信仰，王室要对外扩张，商人要对外贸易。无数的欲望在刺激着人们去寻找新世界。伟大的哥伦布就在这块骚动不安的土地上应运而生。

哥伦布是个理想主义者，他对新世界充满了渴望，相信大洋彼岸有一块新大陆等待着他，对那块神秘的土地饱含激情。为了实现自己的理想，他巧妙的利用了各类人的需要，他对教会说要去传播上帝的旨意，对王室说西班牙可以因此成为世界帝国，对商人说，那里的屋顶都是金子做成的。对船员说，我们用七周就可以到达那里。终于获得各方面的首肯，女王还资助了他的这次航程。

和所有人不同的是，哥伦布唯一的追求的是发现和探索。他一生中最辉煌的时刻就是海上雾气散去，一片从未涉足过的土地在阳光的照耀下出现，棕榈树在婆娑摇曳，鸟儿在林间歌唱。这一刻实现了哥伦布所有的梦想。他含泪宣布：“以上帝的名义，以西班牙国王的名义，用我被赋予的权力，我宣布拥有这块土地并命名为圣萨尔瓦多。”

被历史记住的也是这一刻。

实际上，到了此时，哥伦布已经实现了理想，完成了使命。然而可悲的是，现实还要求他必需继续，去当总督，去和印第安人交往，去平息内部一个又一个不安和叛乱。对此他确实力不从心了。一个即将离去的教士对哥伦布说：“没有人需要新世界，只有你。”是的。人们从骨子里并不需要这个新世界，而只是为了实现各自的贪欲。这也是哥伦布的后半生面临种种失败的根本原因。当时没有人能够理解哥伦布的伟大。

在影片中，哥伦布和王室的代理人山特荷有一段对话。

山特荷：“你只是个梦想家。”

哥伦布：“看看那儿，你看到了什么？”

山特荷：“我看到了城堡、宫殿、尖塔，我看到了文明。”

哥伦布：“所有这些，都是我这样的人创造。无论你能活多长，你我之间有一件事永不会改变，我做到了，你没有。”

他说出了伟人和庸人之间的区别。时至今日，人们还记得西班牙女王吗？还记得山特荷吗？还记得高高在上的主教吗？他们早已随历史化作尘埃。不朽的是哥伦布和他伟大的发现。

美洲的发现，开始了殖民时代。殖民给宗主国带来了巨大的利益和财富，同时伴随着残忍的掠夺和杀戮。也在不经意间，给殖民地带去了文明和繁荣。不过这真是原住民所需要的吗？影片中描写了一个印第安原住民在经历了这些之后，毅然脱去了殖民者给他的衣服，拒绝了曾经让他称羡的“文明”，又拿起弓箭，回到他的同伴中去了。这里的喻义是明显的。直到今天人们还在争论着殖民主义的得与失。不过这和哥伦布没有一点关系，当时的哥伦布不可能预知后来发生的一切。也丝毫不能损害他的伟大。

哥伦布由法国著名影星杰拉尔·德帕迪约扮演。我们无从知道他与哥伦布像不像，更无从知道哥伦布是否长着他那样的大鼻子。不过杰拉尔确实做到了神似。为了再现五百年前的真实场景，除了布景服装的真实之外，他的动作尽量贴近生活，不去刻意显露优雅的姿态。在踏上新大陆的那一刻，他一身疲惫，衣衫褴褛，踉踉跄跄的步伐，饱含泪光的面庞，颤抖的双唇，真是令人感动极了。

传记片表现人物的一生很难，要么是失于松散，要么是失于片面。发现新大陆这样伟大的事业，在两小时的电影中很难包容那么庞大的信息。对于五百年前发生的事情，更不可能处处如实道来。导演和编剧的功力体现在对事件的选择。并加以精心描述，去体现整个影片的精神。如果不苛求的话，这部片子拍的还是很不错的。

本人评分：7.5。