History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 28

History - Essay Example Since these pieces serve as the most powerful, reliable and authentic sources of exploring the social norms, cultural values, religious rituals, taboos, mores, traditions, conventions, folklore and festivals, the historians, archeologists, cultural anthropologists and intellectuals declare them as the most dynamic donation one has granted to his culture (Walton, 2006). The same is applied to the given passages and pictures representing the Tang and Song dynasties of Medieval China. The given literature endorses the very notion that the elite stratum of the then Chinese society used to enjoy leisure hours after the completion of the tasks and professional obligations of the stratum. Hence, it ratifies Theory of Leisure Class articulated by Thorstein Veblen in 1899 that the elite or leisure class consumes its free hours after work in gossiping, arranging parties and embarking upon literary pursuits (Veblen, 2007). Since this class contained time, resources and opportunities in plenty, it did not have to get worried regarding their income and expenditures etc. Consequently, the class was expected to consume money, take food, drink wine, make fun and rejoice itself through amusement and recreational activities. Renowned English poet of Classical Era Alexander Pope has also elucidated the revelry-making activities of the elite stratum by portraying the everlasting character of the protagonist Belinda in his illustrious Rape of the Lock. The history of ancient cultures of Greece and Rome portray the kings and queen as habitual to dissipation and immoral activities while enjoying their leisure hours (Blond, 2000). The same was the position of the ruling class of Ottoman Empire, India and France. The French Revolution 1789 was actually the thunderous reaction to the dissipation made by the royalty and courtiers at the expense of the poor and downtrodden masses, who paid heavy taxes and thus underwent hunger and starvation for many days for the