As soon as we began discussing Leo today, I immediately thought of the Chain of Being. I recently went over this hierarchy in my Shakespeare class (you can't get much more western than Shakespeare), and I began to wonder about the big question - does Maalouf take an orientalist approach when he converted Hasan into a Catholic and took on the name of Leo. The whole premise of the Chain is the idea that everything on Earth and in heaven must be classified. The Heavens are classified with God at the top, followed by archangels, angels, etc. Earth is then classified into hierarchal steps beginning with a humans, then animals, plants, flames, and finally stones. Within each category there are further classification - for example within humans, kings would be higher than servants, and lions would be higher than dogs in animals. Lions, Leo, Animals? Is Leo's character linked to animals? He was clearly a respected man in the eyes of Leo X, but he was also his "present." I wonder if Maalouf gave him this name to represent the idea that, while Hasan was at the top of intellectual status within the Islamic community (a lion among the animals), but because of his race and culture, would never be "human" in the western world?
I've added a visual with the link below. If you scroll down to the fourth picture within the website, there is a sketch of the chain of being. Take notice of the lion laying on the ground below the king-like figure. Is this Hasan to Leo X - both strong, but with one always having the upper hand in the world?
http://geopolicraticus.wordpress.com/tag/great-chain-of-being/
I really like this idea. I do not know if Maalouf actually took this idea into mind when he was writing the novel, but I think it correlates nicely into the plot. I think you are right in the fact that Leo is at the top of certain chains, while still being excluded from other chains because he is a Muslim and an African. I think that he asserts himself to the highest level when he is in Fez and through his travels with caravans. He always takes the leadership positions and guides people to their final destinations, even if that is their untimely demise. I think that Leo also shares the qualities of the leader of a lion pack, moving on when he realizes that there is nothing left for him to use in the area, and always watching out for his own self-interest. I think that you bring up a really good point and that Leo Africanus can definitely relate with the ideas of a chain of being; especially through Leo.
ReplyDeletethis is very interesting. Naturally, we shouldn't take a lot of stock from an ancient world-wide food pyramid, but you pose a vital question. Where do we stand amongst our superiors, and is it ever clear to us?
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