Babylon, the Glorious Ancient Mesopotamian Capital

Babylon, the Glorious Ancient Mesopotamian Capital Babylon was the name of the capital of Babylonia, one of several city-states in Mesopotamia. Our modern name for the city is a version of the  ancient Akkadian name for it: Bab Ilani or Gate of the Gods. Babylons ruins are located in what is today Iraq, near the modern town of Hilla and on the eastern bank of the Euphrates river. People first lived at Babylon at least as long ago as the late 3rd millennium BC, and it became the political center of southern Mesopotamia beginning in the 18th century, during the reign of Hammurabi (1792-1750 BC). Babylon maintained its importance as a city for an astounding 1,500 years, until around 300 BC. Hammurabis City A Babylonian description of the ancient city, or rather a list of the names of the city and its temples, is found in the cuneiform text called Tintir Babylon, so named because its first sentence translates to something like Tintir is a name of Babylon, on which glory and jubilation are bestowed. This document is a compendium of Babylons significant architecture, and it was probably compiled about 1225 BC, during the era of Nebuchadnezzar I. Tintir lists 43 temples, grouped by the quarter of the city in which they were located, as well as city-walls, waterways, and streets, and a definition of the ten city quarters. What else we know of the ancient Babylonian city comes from archaeological excavations. German archaeologist Robert Koldewey  dug a huge pit 21 meters [70 feet] deep into the tell discovering the Esagila temple in the early 20th century. It wasnt until the 1970s when a joint Iraqi-Italian team led by Giancarlo Bergamini revisited the deeply buried ruins. But, apart from that, we dont know a lot about Hammurabis city, because it was destroyed in the ancient past. Babylon Sacked According to cuneiform writings, Babylons rival Assyrian king Sennacherib sacked the city in 689 BC. Sennacherib bragged that he razed all the buildings and dumped the rubble into the Euphrates River. Over the next century, Babylon was reconstructed by its Chaldean rulers, who followed the old city plan. Nebuchadnezzar II (604-562) conducted a massive reconstruction project and left his signature on many of Babylons buildings. It is Nebuchadnezzars city that dazzled the world, beginning with the admiring reports of Mediterranean historians. Nebuchadnezzars City Nebuchadnezzars Babylon was enormous, covering an area of some 900 hectares (2,200 acres): it was the largest city in the Mediterranean region until imperial Rome. The city lay within a large triangle measuring 2.7x4x4.5 kilometers (1.7x2.5x2.8 miles), with one edge formed by the bank of the Euphrates and the other sides made up of walls and a moat. Crossing the Euphrates and intersecting the triangle was the walled rectangular (2.75x1.6 km or 1.7x1 mi) inner city, where most of the major monumental palaces and temples were located. The major streets of Babylon all led to that central location. Two walls and a moat surrounded the inner city and one or more bridges connected the eastern and western parts. Magnificent gates allowed entry to the city: more of that later. Temples and Palaces At the center was the main sanctuary of Babylon: in Nebuchadnezzars day, it contained 14 temples. The most impressive of these was the Marduk Temple Complex, including the Esagila (The House Whose Top is High) and its massive ziggurat, the Etemenanki (House/Foundation of Heaven and the Underworld). The Marduk Temple was surrounded by a wall pierced with seven gates, protected by the statues of dragons made from copper. The ziggurat, located across an 80 m (260 ft) wide street from the Marduk Temple, was also surrounded by high walls, with nine gates also protected by copper dragons. The main palace at Babylon, reserved for official business, was the Southern Palace, with an enormous throne room, decorated with lions and stylized trees. The Northern Palace, thought to have been the Chaldean rulers residence, had lapis-lazuli glazed reliefs. Found within its ruins was a collection of much older artifacts, collected by the Chaldeans from various places around the Mediterranean. The Northern Palace was considered a possible candidate for the Hanging Gardens of Babylon; although evidence has not been found and a more likely location outside of Babylon has been identified (see Dalley). Babylons Reputation In the Christian Bibles  Book of Revelation  (ch. 17), Babylon was described as Babylon the great, mother of harlots and of earths abominations, making it the epitome of evil and decadence everywhere. This was a bit of religious propaganda to which the preferred cities of  Jerusalem  and Rome were compared and warned against becoming. That notion dominated western thought until late 19th-century German excavators brought home parts of the ancient city and installed them in a museum in Berlin, including the marvelous dark-blue Ishtar gate with its bulls and dragons. Other historians marvel at the citys amazing size. The Roman historian  Herodotus  [~484-425 BC] wrote about Babylon in the first book of his  Histories  (chapters 178-183), although scholars argue about whether Herodotus actually saw Babylon or just heard about it. He described it as a vast city, much much larger than the archaeological evidence shows, claiming that the city walls stretched a circumference of some 480 stadia (90 km). The 5th-century Greek historian Ctesias, who probably did actually visit in person, said the city walls stretched 66 km (360 stadia).  Aristotle  described it as a city that has the size of a nation. He reports that when  Cyrus the Great  captured the outskirts of the city, it took three days for the news to reach the center. The Tower of Babel According to Genesis in the Judeo-Christian Bible, the  Tower of Babel  was built in an attempt to reach heaven. Scholars believe that the massive Etemenanki ziggurat was the inspiration for the legends. Herodotus reported that the ziggurat had a solid central tower with eight tiers. The towers could be climbed by way of an exterior spiral staircase, and about half-way up there was a place to rest. On the 8th tier of the Etemenanki ziggurat was a great temple with a large, richly decorated couch and beside it stood a golden table. No one was allowed to spend the night there, said Herodotus, except one specially selected Assyrian woman. The ziggurat was dismantled by  Alexander the Great  when he conquered Babylon in the 4th century BC. City Gates The Tintir Babylon tablets list the city gates, which all had evocative nicknames, such as the Urash gate, The Enemy is Abhorrent to it, the Ishtar gate Ishtar overthrows its Assailant and the Adad gate O Adad, Guard the Life of the Troops. Herodotus says there were 100 gates in Babylon: archaeologists have only found eight in the inner city, and the most impressive of those was the Ishtar gate, built and rebuilt by Nebuchadnezzar II, and currently on display at the Pergamon Museum in Berlin. To get to the Ishtar Gate, the visitor walked for some 200 m (650 ft) between two high walls decorated with bas-reliefs of 120 striding lions. The lions are brightly colored and the background is a striking glazed lapis lazuli dark blue. The tall gate itself, also dark blue, depicts 150 dragons and bulls, symbols of the protectors of the city, Marduk and Adad. Babylon and Archaeology The archaeological site of Babylon has been excavated by a number of people, most notably by  Robert Koldewey  beginning in 1899. Major excavations ended in 1990. Many cuneiform tablets were collected from the city in the 1870s and 1880s, by  Hormuzd Rassam  of the British Museum. The Iraqi Directorate of Antiquities conducted work at Babylon between 1958 and the onset of the Iraq war in the 1990s. Other recent work was conducted by a German team in the 1970s and an Italian one from the University of Turin in the 1970s and 1980s. Heavily damaged by the Iraq/US war, Babylon has recently been investigated by researchers of the  Centro Ricerche Archeologiche e Scavi di Torino  at the University of Turin using QuickBird and satellite imagery to quantify and monitor the ongoing damage. Sources Much of the information about Babylon here is summarized from Marc Van de Mieroops 2003 article in the American Journal of Archaeology for the later city; and George (1993) for the Babylon of Hammurabi. Brusasco P. 2004. Theory and practice in the study of Mesopotamian domestic space.  Antiquity  78(299):142-157.Dalley S. 1993.  Ancient Mesopotamian gardens and the identification of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon resolved.  Garden History  21(1):1-13.George AR. 1993.  Babylon revisited: archaeology and philology in harness.  Antiquity  67(257):734-746.Jahjah M, Ulivieri C, Invernizzi A, and Parapetti R. 2007.  Archaeological remote sensing application pre-postwar situation of Babylon archaeological site- Iraq.  Acta Astronautica 61:121–130.Reade J. 2000.  Alexander the Great and the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.  Iraq  62:195-217.Richard S. 2008. ASIA, WEST |  Archaeology of the Near East: The Levant. In: Pearsall DM, editor.  Encyclopedia of Archaeology. New York: Academic Press. p 834-848.Ur J. 2012. Southern Mesopotamia. In: Potts DT, editor.  A Companion to the Archaeology of the Ancient Near East: Blackwell Publishing Ltd. p 533-555.Van de M ieroop M. 2003.  Reading Babylon.  American Journal of Archaeology  107(2):254-275.

Free Essays on Can Some Kinds Of Music Be Bad Or Good

â€Å"Can Some Kinds of Music Be Bad or Good† Everybody in this world listens to all different kinds of music. You would not think that there are any kinds of music that could be harmful, but in fact, there are. As you read, you will find that the sweet sounds you listen to can be as harmful as smoking a cigarette or even more deadly. In my opinion, I feel that there are some kinds of music that has had something to do with the corruptness and violence of today’s society. How can you be sure that the music your listening to can be good for you? How can you be sure that you can benefit from listening to it? In David Byrnes essay, â€Å"I Hate World Music†, he says, â€Å"For at its best, music truly is subversive and dangerous.†(Byrne 292). Among all the different types of music, there are two kinds of music that ring all too true of the negative effects that it can do to someone; these are heavy metal and rap. Heavy metal is a type of music that has been played for so many years. Information that was found at www.anus.comom/metal/about/history.html states that heavy metal music originated from country music. That is a fact that I find hard to believe. Heavy metal music is usually loud and extremely hard to understand. It is usually played by electric guitars and a huge drum system. Heavy metal music, by all means, can be deadly. Most heavy metal artists send a message of death and violence. One example of a heavy metal band is called 13 Faces. This band has an album named â€Å"These Bloody Hands†. It was made in 2003. The song is as follows: â€Å"Happiness and family is tearing me apart. Down with me, Down with me, Down with me. I’m not going to fall. All your rage on me, Everything is okay. Nothingness and no one will ever change your mind. Down with me, Down with me. I’m not going to cry. All your rage on me, Everything’s okay. Digging into me. This life’s not for me. These Bloody Hands crawli... Free Essays on Can Some Kinds Of Music Be Bad Or Good Free Essays on Can Some Kinds Of Music Be Bad Or Good â€Å"Can Some Kinds of Music Be Bad or Good† Everybody in this world listens to all different kinds of music. You would not think that there are any kinds of music that could be harmful, but in fact, there are. As you read, you will find that the sweet sounds you listen to can be as harmful as smoking a cigarette or even more deadly. In my opinion, I feel that there are some kinds of music that has had something to do with the corruptness and violence of today’s society. How can you be sure that the music your listening to can be good for you? How can you be sure that you can benefit from listening to it? In David Byrnes essay, â€Å"I Hate World Music†, he says, â€Å"For at its best, music truly is subversive and dangerous.†(Byrne 292). Among all the different types of music, there are two kinds of music that ring all too true of the negative effects that it can do to someone; these are heavy metal and rap. Heavy metal is a type of music that has been played for so many years. Information that was found at www.anus.comom/metal/about/history.html states that heavy metal music originated from country music. That is a fact that I find hard to believe. Heavy metal music is usually loud and extremely hard to understand. It is usually played by electric guitars and a huge drum system. Heavy metal music, by all means, can be deadly. Most heavy metal artists send a message of death and violence. One example of a heavy metal band is called 13 Faces. This band has an album named â€Å"These Bloody Hands†. It was made in 2003. The song is as follows: â€Å"Happiness and family is tearing me apart. Down with me, Down with me, Down with me. I’m not going to fall. All your rage on me, Everything is okay. Nothingness and no one will ever change your mind. Down with me, Down with me. I’m not going to cry. All your rage on me, Everything’s okay. Digging into me. This life’s not for me. These Bloody Hands crawli...

Documentary photography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Documentary photography - Essay Example Documentary photography belongs to a field in photography that utilizes pictures to portray historical information. Visual evidences are employed to document specific events. Instead of purely aesthetic purposes, this school of photography delves into the various social and political issues of the subjects. According to Rothstein, â€Å"The subject matter of documentary photography is unlimited, but not every photograph is documentary. It should convey a message that sets it apart from a landscape, a portrait, or a street scene† (1986, p.19). Most of the time, the pictures evoke emotions of anger, intrigue, and shock. A number of magazines and newspapers capitalize on these visuals to communicate their respective stories. These images are ideal in moving people’s thoughts and actions. Hence, documentary photographers act like eyewitnesses for the general public. They engage other people with social issues through the evidences of their photos. They capture their reflect ions of the messages in different communities for people to see. The photographer’s skills to combine art, journalism, and education are needed in producing valuable results. These records of diplomatic and collective situations aim to pave way for social change. One of the famous 20th century photographers in this area is Paul Strand. He uncovered the potential of photography as forceful vehicles. He is known for his works’ ardor, clarity, and sophistication (Strand, 2009) . His work covered different kinds of locations in Africa, Europe, and of course, his homeland, America. Unmistakably, his interest consisted of various themes and categories over the years. He was a student of Lewis Hine, a renowned documentary photographer. Later, he was introduced to Steiglitz and Steichen, operators of the 291 gallery. After sometime, Strand’s works were featured in Steiglitz’ photography publication called Camera work. Many of Strand’s work were also exhibi ted in the gallery. Much of his famous pictures were on the geometric structures of the city life. His images eventually won prizes at the Wanamaker Photography competitions. In his book, Masters of Photography, Strand featured a number of his photos. Some of the notable photographs are â€Å"Blind Woman, New York† and â€Å"Yawning Woman† (2009). In 1916, his photo of a blind woman highlighted a realistic theme. This image depicts his excellent skill in taking photos without the subject’s knowledge. The photo shows a head-and-shoulder portrait of a woman wearing a sign, â€Å"blind†. This effectively represents one of the diverse minority groups during his time. It challenged the society’s stand on equality, labeling, and rights for individuals with special needs. His other striking photo of a yawning woman was taken in 1917. This candid photo shows a portly female resting at the sidewalk of New York. Similar with his previous work, it demonstrate s a pure image of daily life in an urban area. It illustrates New York and the distinct characters that occupy it. Pictorialism Pictorialism views photography as an avenue for embodying fine art. In this angle, a picture’s aesthetic essence is quite emphasized. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, it is â€Å"an approach to photography that emphasizes the beauty of subject matter, tonality, and composition rather than the documentation of reality†

DISCUSS THE POSSIBLE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON THE HEALTH OF THE UK Essay - 1

DISCUSS THE POSSIBLE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON THE HEALTH OF THE UK POPULATION - Essay Example Continuous accumulation of the heat energy makes the atmosphere to have warmer temperatures. It is this blanket of greenhouse gases that leads to global warming. The continuous global warming has led to effects like climate change. The health of human beings is affected negatively by the climate change condition. It is because of the extremes in hot temperatures due to the global warming. UK is experiencing health problems in its population because its geographical location is the temperate regions (McMichael 2003, p. 57). Research has shown that the high temperatures are associated with an outbreak of diseases. Pest and vectors thrive well in regions with a hot climate, and this makes UK population vulnerable to diseases. Also they diseases are easily spread over the population affecting massive numbers of people. Most reports have shown a strong correlation between climate change and health of the UK population. Among many impacts that a country can face, the following are possible impacts of climate change on health of the UK population. Heat waves are harmful and can cause death. In 2003, UK temperatures recorded 38oC and this was the highest. During this year, more than 2000 people died as a result of the heat wave that was in the country (Kreis & Leornadi 2012, p. 223). The young and the old are more vulnerable to the impacts of the heat wave. They suffer from respiratory problems that may cause the heart to overwork and can lead to a heart failure. The human body needs optimum temperatures for the parts to operate well. Any extremes in the environmental temperatures poses risk on health. Heat is essential for supporting life on earth, but it can become a problem when it is at the extremes. In UK, 30oC during the day and 15oC at night will stimulate an alert in the country. These temperatures will affect human health if they heat the atmosphere for more than 48 hours. The

The History of the Cheese Curd Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The History of the Cheese Curd - Research Paper Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that the legend of cheese curd states that there are several events that are related to the innovation of cheese curd. Several experts agree on one of the stories and this story is very well published in relation to the history of cheese curd. It is believed that the origin of cheese curd can be traced back to the Middle Eastern regions. In this region, a traveler used to move from one end to another and one day decided to carry milk while he was on a journey. While he was performing a journey, his thirst started creeping up. At that time the heat levels were very high and due to this exposure to heat, he figured out that his milk was no longer in liquid form. He figured out that the milk he was carrying on his journey had curdled and had resulted in a mixture that comprised of both liquids and curds that were white in color. This curdled form of milk is pointed out to be the origin of cheese curd. There are various mythical theories regardin g the change in the structure and the mix of milk that was being carried by the traveler. One of the main reasons that are said to have resulted in the curdled structure of the milk was that the bag in which milk was being carried by the traveler consisted of rennin. Rennin is one of the enzymes that are even used today in order to curdle milk so the cheese can be created from that milk. Rennin is said to exist in the bag because the bag was created while using the stomach of a cow. Rennin is most commonly used to curdle milk but the process is quite slow and takes an ample amount of time.

Analysing A Song In The Front Yard English Language Essay

Analysing A Song In The Front Yard English Language Essay On the surface of Gwendolyn Brookss poem, a song in the front yard, is a girl who wants to play in the back yard and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦have some wonderful fun (10) instead of staying in the front yard, but the deeper message is not just about more fun, but about a girl who yearns to have a life she is not permitted to have. Impoverished and wealthy lead very different lifestyles; this poem infers that sometimes having it all, isnt enough to keep one satisfied. Through the first person narrative of a little girl along with the uses of symbolism, Brooks exposes and highlights the irony of wealth. The speakers tone and descriptions suggest that she is a young girl. In line four, the speaker refers to herself as a girl; the word girl has a connotation as a younger female. The following lines sound very demanding and childish: I want to go in the back yard now And maybe down the alley To where the charity children play I want a good time today (ll 5-8). The words want and now define the selfish tendencies of a child.. The importance of the speaking being a young girl, comes from the fact that young children are usually ignorant to wealth and status. Young children really only want fun and enjoyment out of life. In addition, the specification of the time being now suggests that it must be done before it is too late, and profile status becomes eminent in determining social relationships. The speaker uses the symbolic front yard versus back yard to infer status. The symbolism begins on the first line of the poem where Brooks discusses that the speaker has stayed in the front yard all her life, suggesting a desire for change. On a literal level, the front yard is a place people can see from the street. It is generally inviting, orderly, and beautiful. This leads one to assume a front yard can represent order, consistency, and status on a symbolic level. The speaker is apparently bored with her life in the front yard as is made clear when she says, A girl gets sick of a rose(Line 4). The rose is a beautiful, rich flower; only one with money would be able to get sick of it. A back yard is a place that you cannot see from the street and requires an invitation. The back yard is, Where its rough and untended and hungry weed grows (Line 3). The back yard usually is not well kept because it is unseen, symbolizing how the poor are care-free and adventurous due to not being rad ar so to speak. The backyard is symbolically a place for the poor, and therefore it becomes a place for the ugly in society. In one sense, Brooks utilizes the back yard as a place where people hide things for example wealthy people hiding the ugly, hungry weed (line 3) in the backyard. But the back yard is not only seen as the physically ugly place, but it has connotations of bad people. As the mother lists the types of people associated with the back yard, she says, That Georgell be taken to Jail soon or late/ (On account of last winter he sold our back gate) (ln. 15-16). The emphasis on back gate alongside theft and jail reinforces the hideousness and bad that link to the back yard. In addition, the word Jail is capitalized showing that it has importance. It suggests that if the girl goes into the back yard she will be exposed to the bad in the world. However, in another sense, Brooks crowns the backyard as a place that the wealthy person wants to be. A sort of secret garden for this young wealthy girl as she desires to explore the mysterious freedom the poor live with. In this sense the poor children are not forced to play in the backyard they are allowed to play there; while the rich girl is chained to her front yard of responsibility and strict restrictions. When the girl voices her desire to play with the children in the backyard, the  mother  sneers (line 11). The mother describes how much trouble the kids in the back yard will get the speaker in, but the speaker continues to desire to à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦do some wonderful things (line 9) and goes against what her mother says. The consistent contradiction between the mother and the daughter, connect to the ignorance and tolerance younger children tend to have. In the beginning of the poem, it seems likely the speaker is a young child, but the last stanza she imagines how she wants to be a woman. She says, And Id like to be a bad woman, too/ And wear the brace stocking of night-black lace/ And strut down the streets with paint on my face (ll. 18-20). This description of a woman in makeup (line 20) and black lace stockings (line 19) is of a person in the back yard, a poor person, but a woman not a child. The younger fantasizes about playing in the alley (line 6), where the woman fantasizes about strut[ting] down the streets (line 20). The change from a child to a woman symbolizes the transition of adolescents overcoming the segregations made by wealth. The rhyme scheme is constant throughout the poem except for the last stanza connecting to the change from an adolescent to a woman. The rhyme scheme established for the majority of the poem is abcc, where the first two lines do not follow an established rhyme but the third and forth form a rhyme. But the last stanza forms two rhyming couplets: But I say its fine. Honest, I do. And Id like to be a bad woman, too, And wear the brace stockings of night-black lace And strut down the streets with paint on my face. (ll. 17-20) The words do and too connect through end rhyme, and lace and face connect through end rhyme. The consistent new pattern shown in the last stanza relates to the new relationship established for the speaker. Gwendolyn Brooks poem a song in the front yard uses the first person narrative and symbolism to demonstrate the irony and relationship between the wealthy and poor. The young speaker shows how adolescence includes ignorance by desiring to go against her mother and play in the back yard. The front yard and back yard symbolize the different life styles: the carefree, un-kept poor lifestyle of the back yard, that the wealthy narrator living in the front yard (line 1), envies and the wealthy people sneering (line 11) in their front yards. Brooks reinforces that ignorance leads to accepting and allows the girl to desire close the gap of separation.

The Magic Of Queen Essay examples -- Music

Do you ever wonder what an arduous task it is to listen to the music and understand the complexity of it? Just as Walker Percy implies in his essay "The Loss of the Creature," people generally tend to divide into two categories when it comes to viewing the issues of life. We have the "common" individuals who notice the complexity of the matters, but who interpret it in superficial ways, and we have the "complex" individuals who tear through the outer layer and look to find the answers to their questions (Percy . It was not until I remembered an event which took place a few years ago, that I started to apply this simple-sounding division to a process of enjoying the splendor of music. I was sixteen at the time, tired of the difficulty of life, and the monotony of the gray colored everyday existence. Being trapped in the middle of the teenage years seems trivial, and somewhat insignificant now that I understand that the infamous "struggle" is in fact something which makes life worth living. Nevertheless, at the time of my sweet sixteen I was dissatisfied with the organized routine of my life, and seriously broken-hearted. I remember aimlessly wandering the streets one rainy evening. I never imagined that the weak sound coming from an open window of an apartment complex, and desperately trying to tear its way through the curtain of rain would, in fact, later become my ultimate discovery of the real meaning of music. I stood in the pouring rain mesmerized by something that touched my soul, after tearing through the layer of    "normality." It was a rock song. Rock, but different in some way – a mixture of ethereal mysticism, magic and strength. It was for the first time that I started looking for complexity in music, not only for... ...e, needed to go on in the hearts of those who loved his music. "My soul is painted like the wings of butterflies," Freddie sang. This is exactly the portrait he left in the minds of his fans. He transferred me into the world of magic and fairytales, and this is what almost everyone of us needs from time to time. A break from reality and real life. Things like that help us all retain sanity on the little stranded islands of loneliness, in the sea of people, worries, and everyday problems. Until I arrive on the sandy beach, with a precious disc tucked under my arm, wish me luck†¦ Work Cited Marcus, Greil, eds. Stranded: Rock and Roll for a Desert Island. New York: Da Capo Press, 1996. Dean, Ken. Queen. Krakow: Wydawnictwo "Rock-Serwis", 1992. Percy, Walker. "The Loss of the Creature." The Message in the Bottle. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1975: 46-63. The Magic Of Queen Essay examples -- Music Do you ever wonder what an arduous task it is to listen to the music and understand the complexity of it? Just as Walker Percy implies in his essay "The Loss of the Creature," people generally tend to divide into two categories when it comes to viewing the issues of life. We have the "common" individuals who notice the complexity of the matters, but who interpret it in superficial ways, and we have the "complex" individuals who tear through the outer layer and look to find the answers to their questions (Percy . It was not until I remembered an event which took place a few years ago, that I started to apply this simple-sounding division to a process of enjoying the splendor of music. I was sixteen at the time, tired of the difficulty of life, and the monotony of the gray colored everyday existence. Being trapped in the middle of the teenage years seems trivial, and somewhat insignificant now that I understand that the infamous "struggle" is in fact something which makes life worth living. Nevertheless, at the time of my sweet sixteen I was dissatisfied with the organized routine of my life, and seriously broken-hearted. I remember aimlessly wandering the streets one rainy evening. I never imagined that the weak sound coming from an open window of an apartment complex, and desperately trying to tear its way through the curtain of rain would, in fact, later become my ultimate discovery of the real meaning of music. I stood in the pouring rain mesmerized by something that touched my soul, after tearing through the layer of    "normality." It was a rock song. Rock, but different in some way – a mixture of ethereal mysticism, magic and strength. It was for the first time that I started looking for complexity in music, not only for... ...e, needed to go on in the hearts of those who loved his music. "My soul is painted like the wings of butterflies," Freddie sang. This is exactly the portrait he left in the minds of his fans. He transferred me into the world of magic and fairytales, and this is what almost everyone of us needs from time to time. A break from reality and real life. Things like that help us all retain sanity on the little stranded islands of loneliness, in the sea of people, worries, and everyday problems. Until I arrive on the sandy beach, with a precious disc tucked under my arm, wish me luck†¦ Work Cited Marcus, Greil, eds. Stranded: Rock and Roll for a Desert Island. New York: Da Capo Press, 1996. Dean, Ken. Queen. Krakow: Wydawnictwo "Rock-Serwis", 1992. Percy, Walker. "The Loss of the Creature." The Message in the Bottle. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1975: 46-63.