The Conquest of America: The Question of the OtherA classic in its field, The Conquest of America is a study of cultural confrontation in the New World, with implications far beyond sixteenth-century America. The book offers an original interpretation of both Columbus's discovery of America and the Spaniards' subsequent conquest, colonization, and destruction of pre-Columbian cultures in Mexico and the Caribbean. Using sixteenth-century sources, the distinguished French writer and critic Tzvetan Todorov examines the beliefs and behavior of the Spanish conquistadors and of the Aztecs, adversaries in a clash of cultures that resulted in the near extermination of Mesoamerica's Indian population. A new foreword by Anthony Pagden discusses the implications of Todorov's landmark study. |
Contents
The Discovery of America | 3 |
Columbus as Interpreter | 14 |
Columbus and the Indians | 34 |
The Reasons for the Victory | 53 |
Montezuma and Signs | 63 |
Cortés and Signs | 98 |
Understanding Taking Possession and Destroying | 127 |
Equality or Inequality | 146 |
Enslavement Colonialism and Communication | 168 |
Typology of Relations to the Other | 185 |
Durán or the Hybridization of Cultures | 202 |
Sahagún and His Work | 219 |
255 | |
265 | |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
Admiral already America ancient assertion Aztecs behavior believe Bernal Díaz Cabeza cacique Casas Casas's Cazonci Chilam Balam Christian Christian religion chronicler Columbus Columbus's communication concern conquest conquistadors Cortés Cortés's culture declares Diego de Landa Diego Durán discourse discover discovery divine Durán encounter European everything existence fact faith Florentine Codex Franciscans gods gold hence Holy Huitzilopochtli human ibid identified idols Indians Indies interpretation island killed king knowledge La Malinche land language Lord matter Mayas Mexicans Mexico Michoacán Montezuma Motolinia Nahuatl narrative natives nature never observe omens possess precisely priests Quetzalcoatl reason regard Relación relation religious remains rites ritual sacrifice Sahagún seen Sepúlveda signs slaves society Sovereigns Spain Spaniards Spanish speak symbolic Tarascans tell temple thereby things tion Tlaxcaltecs Todorov translation true truth understand Vasco de Quiroga voyage women words writes Yucatán