The Conquest of New Spain

In class we watched the film: Wrestling with Manhood: Boys, Bullying, & Battering. In the film, researchers shared the data they had gathered on professional wrestling. The questions of "Why are people watching?" and "How is it affecting society?" were asked. Before I say anything else let me just say that I've never watched any professional wrestling. I was never allowed as a child and I don't recall ever wanting to watch it either. I understand that it is completely fake, fiction, a man soap opera-whatever. From what I saw in class I was appalled and disgusted. I was angered by the violence against women and how they were merely "sexual play things." I was also completely disgusted with the suggestions that an "unconscious woman likes what happens to her." The dumbest thing I saw was a woman told to get on her hands and knees and bark like a dog. She was then forced to strip out of her clothes. I am more angry at these women than anything else. WHY would they subject themselves to this kind of treatment?!! REAL OR FAKE, I don't care. They are making the statement that it is OK for domestic violence against women because it "seems deserved." The thing is-DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN IS NOT FUNNY-REAL OR FAKE. When you know someone or IF you are someone who has been in this kind of situation, funny would never be the word to describe such a horrific occurrence. I am so angered by these women. I just want to tell them to get some self-esteem, grow up, and help fight AGAINST domestic violence towards women! Okay...now that I'm done venting....The Conquest of New Spain....

The reason that we watched the above said film was to show an idea of masculinity, what it means to be a man. There is something in this idea of conquest that just attracts people's attention. Why do we gravitate towards images of violence? This idea of conquering is all about dominance, having the power, inviting fear and respect, and the preservation of self. It also includes retribution and bragging rights. What drives people to dominate? Greed, seems to be the most obvious answer. However, there is also the religious reason, such as the spreading of Christianity, like in the book. Security and knowledge are also other possible reasons that there is a need to dominate. And hand in hand with all this violence is sex. In class we discussed how America was portrayed as a naked, seductive, and voluptuous woman. This was a virgin land and they were on a sexual conquest. So...there is something to both aspects, violence and sex, where through the domination and possession of others' bodies, this conquering is achieved.

In the book, Diaz tells how Cortes and his men captured both Montezuma and Mexico. Here that same conquering idea is displayed over and over again. On page 225 Diaz describes Montezuma: "The great Montezuma was about forty years old, of good height, well proportioned, spare and slight, and not very dark, though of the usual Indian complexion. He did not wear his hair long but just over his ears, and he had a short black beard, well-shaped and thin. His face was rather long and cheerful, he had fine eyes, and in his appearance and manner could express geniality or, when necessary, a serious composure. He was very neat and clean and took a bath every afternoon. He had many women as his mistresses...and when he had intercourse with any of them it was so secret that only some of his servants knew of it. He was quite free from sodomy. The clothes he wore one day he did not wear again till three or four days later." Throughout this entire description we see Diaz feminizing Montezuma by his appearance, his grooming habits, and in his sexual life. This is a way of "conquering" or putting down the ideal of Montezuma's masculinity. Apparently, "real" men at that time, or the "masculine man" were dirty with long beards, and had loud sex with women so that everyone could hear...Yes, that screams masculine to me...This idea of stripping masculinity or bullying can be see everywhere from the elementary school playground to the ring of the professional wrestlers. It seems that by putting others down they make themselves appear more of a manly man.

The violence in the narrative seems to be everywhere! Diaz describes what kind of things he saw while there. On page 239, he says: "A little apart from the cue stood another small tower which was also an idolhouse or true hell...a little way off was a place of sacrifice, all bloodstained and black with smoke. There were many great pots and jars and pitchers in this house, full of water. For it was here that they cooked the flesh of the wretched Indians who were sacrificed and eaten by the papas. Near this place of sacrifice there were many large knives and chopping-blocks...I always called that building Hell." Later he goes on to describe the actual sacrifices: "Then after they had danced the papas laid them down on their backs on some narrow stones of sacrifice and, cutting open their chests, drew out their palpitating hearts which they offered to the idols before them. Then they kicked the bodies down the steps, and the Indian butchers who were waiting below cut off their arms and legs and flayed their faces, which they afterwards prepared like glove leather, with their beards on, and kept for their drunken festivals. Then they ate their flesh with a sauce of peppers and tomatoes. They sacrificed all our men in this way, eating their legs and arms, offering their hearts and blood to their idols as I have said, and throwing their trunks and entrails to the lions and tigers and serpents and snakes...(387)." I know that this doesn't seem to have anything to do with masculinity and sex. However, I think this shows that Montezuma and his people had a religion that they believed in and that violence was an important aspect of that religion. Diaz may have thought that by describing their frightening religious rituals and sacrifices their victory over the Aztecs would seem much greater. Again this putting down and conquering in order to have power...

This brings me to another point. The idea of using religion as an excuse for the violence and destruction of others. Diaz says in his narrative: "Those readers who are interested by this history must wonder at the great deeds we did in those days: first in destroying our ships; then in daring to enter that strong city despite many warnings that they would kill us once they had us inside; then in having the temerity to seize the great Montezuma, king of that country, in his own city and inside his very palace, and to throw him in chains while the execution was carried out. Now that I am old, I often pause to consider the heroic actions of that time. I seem to see them present before my eyes; and I believe that we performed them not of our own volition but by the guidance of God (250)." This appears to be nothing but a bragging list of what they accomplished and how they dominated someone who seemed to have a lot of power. What I find annoying is how he insists that they performed all of these duties because it was God's will. Now I understand that religion has always been connected to horrible crimes: the Crusades, the Reformation, the Holocaust, etc. However, I feel that, though Cortes and his men didn't see it, they were doing all of these "heroic actions" to satisfy their own greed for power and material objects. They wanted to dominant. They wanted to conquer for their own selfish "needs." They wanted to be the definition of masculinity. Though the Church has certainly been guilty of violence in the past, Cortes and his men used religion in general as an excuse to dominant and demolish a thriving civilization.

At the end of the narrative Diaz continues to brag about their accomplishments and how much courage it took to be a part of such an event. "For great courage was at that time required of a soldier. I must say that when I saw my comrades dragged up each day to the altar, and their chests struck open and their palpitating hearts drawn out, and when I saw the arms and legs of these sixty-two men cut off and eaten, I feared that one day or another they would do the same to me. Twice already they had laid hands on me to drag me off, but it pleased God that I should escape from their clutches...I came to fear death more than ever in the past. Before I went into battle, a sort of horror and gloom would seize my heart, and I would make water once or twice and commend myself to God and His blessed Mother. It was always like this before battle, but my fear quickly left me (408)." Diaz makes it seem as if he was only scared for a short time and then he was okay again, kind of like stage fright. So, apparently at that time a "man" only had one thing on his mind: and that was to conquer and dominant over others. This can be seen not only in Cortes and his men's dominance over the Aztec, but over each other on their own side! They argued amongst each other over gold!!!

Now this may seem extremely random but last night I was watching Moulin Rouge with my girlfriends. I about jumped out of my chair when I noticed this same idea of violence/sex/dominance in the film. The story begins with Christian, a young English poet, falling madly in love with a courtesan named Satine. Now Satine accidentally falls in love with Christian believing him to be a Duke. A real Duke has promised Harold Zidler, the owner of the Moulin Rouge, to invest if he can meet with Satine. As the story goes on we see the Duke become very jealous and makes Zidler sign a contract stating that only he would have Satine. Zidler also has to sign over the deeds to the Moulin Rouge to the Duke. Here is a prime example of this power and need for dominance over others. I really hadn't noticed this theme of masculinity, violence, and sex when I had watched the movie before!

I don't really know what it means to be a man in today's society. It appears to have a lot to do with job, money, and social status. I think that this idea of dominance also lies hidden beneath waiting to come out at any time. For me, a man takes care of his family, has morals, and is satisfied with what he has. What do you think it means to be a man in today's society? Is it really all about dominating over the bodies of others through violence and sex?