The Lisbon Earthquake - 1030 Words

The Lisbon Earthquake ARCH 2502 - Contemporary Urbanism Landscape Assignment – Year 2 à ine Gavin At 9:40 a.m. on November 1st 1755, an earthquake devastated the port city of Lisbon, Portugal, causing serious damage. In a matter of minutes, the beautiful city was reduced to debris. Also know as The Great Lisbon Earthquake, it was one of the most destructive earthquakes to hit Lisbon in the history of the country, destroying large parts of Lisbon and the Algarve. Seismologists estimate that the earthquake had a magnitude of 8.7 on the Richter scale with its epicentre in the Atlantic Ocean, at approximately 250km south of Lisbon. This traumatic earthquake triggered a tsunami with waves that reached 20 feet high and was followed by a severe fire. Accounts vary, with some saying the fire lasted three days and others saying more than a week, eventually killing up to 140,000 people (61% of the population). The Lisbon Earthquake of 1755 At the time of the earthquake, Lisbon was said to be one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. â€Å"The city retained some of its Moorish influences during the Middle Ages and Renaissance. This may be seen in the design of the streets in the quarters surrounding St. George Castle and extending as far as Rossio.†1 Before the earthquake, Baixa, the core of the city, was famous for â€Å"its narrow streets, winding alleys and densely packed wooden housing.†2 The sixteenth century was the time of the lively Manueline style, which has left its mark on twoShow MoreRelatedComparsion of Voltaire and Gronniosaw ´s Philosophy Essay1492 Words   |  6 Pagesit matter if we choose to be good or evil, will we be punished or are we simply pawns of fate? When Candide wanted to jump into the water to save Jacques the Anabaptist, he was prevented from doing so by the philosopher Pangloss who declared, ‘That Lisbon harbour was built expressly so that the Anabaptist should one day drown in it,’ convincing Candide that, ‘it was meant to be.’ Jacques the Anabaptist’s is kind and he is realistic to human faults such as greed, violence, and cruelty, he still offersRead MoreCandide And Candide s Attitude Towards Evil1813 Words   |  8 Pages(2009), he ‘will never take action to repel evil in the world because he has decided that nothing in it is mutable.’ For example, when confronted with the possibility of Jacques drowning, he convinces Candide not to intervene, claiming that the Bay of Lisbon was made ‘expres pour que cet anabaptiste s’y noyat.’ This supports the idea that a sympathetic view towards evil completely eradicates any attempt to rid the world of evil, or any desire to change its course. Evil and suffering is not only viewedRead MoreThe Lisbon Earthquake : A Natural Disaster That Evoked Mixed Responses From Various Nineteenth Century Thinkers1270 Words   |  6 PagesThe Lisbon earthquake was a natural disaster that evoked mixed responses from various eighteenth century thinkers. Although some opinions were birthed from historical perspectives, others were a product of new ideas brought about during the Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment era. The selected excerpts show this range of thought through the written words of clerics, scientists, and philosophers. History gives insightful information into how ideas have changed since the beginning ofRead MoreThe Life and Work of Francois-Marie Arouet, a.k.a. Voultaire 1745 Words   |  7 PagesFrederick the Great from 1750-1753 and misjudged his power. Therefore, he permanently settled to a location near the Switzerland border in order to flee from trouble easily. In 1755, Voltaire wrote a poem about the Lisbon earthquake, which â€Å"shook his optimism† (Stanley 67) with the Lisbon poem of 1756 and Candide in 1759. Voltaire died at the age of 84. Voltaire has written many books and novels within his lifespan. One piece of literature that stands out is Candide. This novel introduces two mainRead MoreLiebnitzian Philosophy and Candide837 Words   |  4 Pagesmuch evil in the world? Optimism provides an easy way out of this. Voltaires experiences led him to dismiss the idea that this is the best of all possible worlds. Examining the death and destruction, both man-made and natural (such as the Libson earthquake), Voltaire concluded that everything was not, in fact, for the best. As a Deist, Voltaires God was one who initially created the world, and then left it to its own devices. 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These various horrors don’t serve any good purpose, but they’re only used to point out the cruelty and folly of humanity. The character Pangloss desperately tries to find justification for all of the terribleRead MoreVoltaire s Candide - Denouncing Providence1503 Words   |  7 PagesFirstly, a reference to the Lisbon Earth Quake is used to criticize Leibniz’ theory that we live in the best of all possible worlds: â€Å"Pangloss endeavored to comfort them [victims of the Earthquake] by affirming that things could not be o therwise than they were: ‘for, â€Å"said he,† ‘all this is for the very best end, for if there is a volcano at Lisbon, it could be in no other spot; for everything is for the best†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (Voltaire 27). The reference to the devastating earthquake demonstrates that misfortunesRead MoreVoltaire Candide1311 Words   |  6 Pagesbeaten for wandering from camp, Candide flees to Holland and runs into an ugly beggar, who he is told to be Pangloss. He tells Candide that Cunà ©gonde and her family have been murdered by the Bulgar army. A kind Anabaptist named Jacques to travel to Lisbon, but a storm destroys the ship, and Jacques drowns. In Candide, Voltaire sought to point out the fallacy of Gottfried William von Leibniz’s theory of optimism and the hardships brought on by the resulting inaction toward the evils of the world. Voltaire’sRead MoreVoltaire s View Of Voltaire1213 Words   |  5 Pageshe travels to Lisbon, a place where terrible earthquakes happen. â€Å"But you must get cured, my dear friend, I do not a penny in the world; and you know one cannot be bled or have an enema without money (Chapter 4).† In my opinion, this is the reason that Candide travel to Lisbon because Pangloss essentially needs to be curve. The book doesn’t really explain the reason. However, at the very moment Candide and Pangloss arrives at Lisbon, the city is being destroy by a terrible earthquake. However, Candide