The Story of the Mongols Whom We Call the Tartars
A different land to see with different people to meet, journey takes us into hundred miles away from home but gives us understanding on the things we barely even know. Perhaps it is hard to understand at first and adapting to the new world would be a hard task, however, during the whole, journey one will learn that in all things, although change is really permanent, there are people who would stick to what they have known their whole lives and be proud of it.
Giovanni Carpini went into a journey in the land of the Mongol and realized that they were ideal people with good hearts who embrace their culture more than anyone else can do. Summary of the Book Analysis Answers to the Questions Conclusion 1. Analyze Carpinis description of the Mongols. What are the most important features of Mongol society and politics that he reveals? How convincing and trustworthy is his description of various aspects of the Mongol way of life (and why are some parts less trustworthy than others)? What can we conclude about the Mongols from his description?
The author was very careful in describing the Mongols, he made sure that he uses the words he really meant. In the second chapter of the book, the author analyzed the Mongols, their appearance and their culture. Hence, he detailed all of his descriptions concerning these people and the things closest to them as Mongols. According to Carpini, the Mongols possess an appearance that is different from the rest of the people. Their eyes and cheeks are wide compared to other men and have flat nose in middle size. They also have small eyes wherein the eyelids are raised to the eyebrows.
There are few who have big waists but most of them have narrow waists and have middle heights. Some have beards while others have small amount of hair on their upper lips and have beards which only some of them trims. When it comes to their hair, they cut or shave the top of their head. The remaining hair which they have was put in a braid and they let it grow long like the women (Carpini, 39). Regarding marriages as part of their culture, Mongols can marry several wives and could marry their stepmothers, stepsisters and their brother’s wife once the first husband is dead already.
Women are bought from their families and are not allowed to quarrel with each other (Carpini, 40). On their clothes, they do not wear other garments like caps and cloaks. Instead they wear fine fabrics. However it is hard to distinguish men from women because they almost have the same design of clothes. Their hats are different from the common shape wherein the author said that he cannot describe it. 2. What are Carpinis own priorities as he writes his account? Why do some things
about the Mongols seem to fascinate him, while he barely mentions others? More broadly: would you judge that Carpini shares a worldview with the Mongols he describes, or would you conclude that he and the Mongols understood the world in fundamentally different ways? 3. As always, your conclusion may (but doesnt have to) reflect on how writings such as Carpinis might be useful to us. What can we learn by looking at cross-cultural descriptions from the past? References Carpini, Giovanni Carpini. “The Story of the Mongols Whom We Call the Tartars”
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