Christopher Columbus Hero Or Myth

727 Words3 Pages
Michael Taglianetti Columbus: Hero or Myth? With the production of multiple media such as books and films about the famous explorer and navigator Christopher Columbus and his voyages to the Americas, one can reluctantly develop a solid view of Columbus himself as well as his voyages based on conflicting details of primary and secondary sources. Upon the viewing of the epic adventure/drama film 1492: Conquest of Paradise, and the reading of Columbus’ letters to Santangel describing his first voyage from a first-hand account, I continue to struggle developing a lasting image of the explorer. Columbus, a man whom many including myself have been taught since early childhood was supposedly heroic and iconic, may not have been the idol many of us had once perceived. With the film reiterating much of the charismatic and heroic traits that Columbus is often associated with along with his death defying, ground breaking, divine voyage and exploration, his letters to Santangel seem to offer more of a transparent glance into his voyages. My research of these primary and secondary sources has helped me shed light on the “zombies” or undying mythology associated…show more content…
With primary sources still existing today, it is unknown to me how the myth is still viable. After researching Columbus’ letters to Santangel, my previous view of Columbus has been distorted. With more secondary sources than primary sources in existence, it has come to my attention that Christopher Columbus is also a monetary image meaning that the myth of his heroism exists in the money his exaggerated story can generate today. The film 1492: Conquest of Paradise was released as an epic adventure/drama rather than a biography or something of a similar nature in order to generate a larger audience. Simply put, a charismatic explorer who changed the world following his dreams is a lot more appealing than a story of a greedy
Open Document