Cherise I. Brown Varela

A Revision of Europe's Search for Identity:

Reflections on Anthony Pagden's "Europe: Conceptualizing a Continent"

"The identity of Europe has always been uncertain and imprecise, a source of pride for some and hatred or contempt for others. Like all identities it is a construction, an elaborate palimpsest of stories, images, resonances, collective memories, and invented and carefully nurtured traditions." Thus Anthony Pagden gracefully begins his chapter entitled "Europe: Conceptualizing a Continent" in his edited volume on The Idea of Europe: From Antiquity to the European Union. Through his discussion of these concepts with which identity is formed, Pagden relates with precise beauty and much detail how the idea of Europe first comes into existence through many influences. The journey of the concept of Europe has been from myth to legend to war to stability. Pagden's account of the history of the identity of Europe allows for interpretation, whether the reader believes in myth or the influence of war and religion, as to how Europe has descended to its current state.

Pagden explains the mythological origins of the idea of a 'Europe', or a 'Europa'. A tale of a Phoenician princess is one that is first to mention "Europa". "Professor Mahoney alluded to the (admittedly speculative) derivation of the words "Europe" and "Asia" from the Phoenician-Assyrian words "ereb" (sunset) and "acu" (sunrise). This would suggest that, from the perspective of peoples in the ancient "Fertile Crescent" of Mesopotamia, "Europe" would be the land where the sun set (the West, or the "Occident" to use Germanic or Latin-based words for the same concept), whereas "Asia" would be where the sun rose (the East, or the "Orient")". (http://www.uvm.edu/~dmahoney/?Page=ais96/AIS96S20050121.html) Pagden takes these mythological and rooted aspects to a new and intriguing level by pointing out that according to myth, the princess Europa, who was abducted and brought to what is today 'Europe' ,was in fact Asian. He goes on to say that "thus an abducted Asian woman gave Europe her name" (Pagden, 35). Europe will adamantly try to shed its oriental roots, but to no avail: "Europe, which will fashion itself for generations in opposition to Asia, has always owed to Asia its historical origins" (Pagden, 35). This was because "what in myth had been a divine appropriation becomes a mythopoeia history a tale of the hatred between two continents, a hatred that would burn steadily down the centuries, as the Trojans were succeeded by the Phoenicians, The Phoenicians by the Ottoman Turks, and the Turks by Russians" (Pagden, 34) "Had 'Europe' come to acquire an identity, it was always one that had to accommodate the uneasy realization that not only were the origins of Europe non-European, but that no one could establish with any precision where Europe stopped and Asia and Africa began" (Pagden, 36). It is with these statements that Pagden defends his position that Europe is defined, basically, by what it is not.

Pagden contends that Europe has a certain superiority over all others, and later "Europe becomes - in another image that has survived unbroken to this day - the home of liberty and of true government." (Pagden, 37) The class reading titled "The Legacy of Rome" by Richard Jenkyns supported this statement that apparently: "the Romans have had the greater influence on political practice." The Romans’ influence on Europe left it with impressive models of government.  In discussions of the different influences of Rome on Europe, the class decided that Europe includes a mixed constitution which combines "democratic" and "oligarchic" aspects (Jenkyns 4, 5). Democracies, though, did not necessarily have the same positive image as they do today, which was very important for the growth of Europe. Europe goes along with Caesarism, and the idea of the citizen. The concept develops that Europe, as home to Roman influence or government, has created its sense of superiority.

Pagden considers the idea of cities in Europe, and the sense of community they created. His thoughts of cities lead to Christianity. Pagden quotes Jean-Jacques Rousseau, who "conceded that 'Europe, even now, is in debt more to Christianity, than to any other influence for the union'" (Pagden, 43). It is indeed greatly due to this aspect of Europe's history, that it is where it is today. Many wars in the name of religion have taken place, to which Patrick Minella and Rose Couzens alluded in their presentations of their final research papers. Minella focused primarily on the Irish religious wars, which have been just a small fragment compared to the expanse of the turmoil religion has caused in Europe. Yet through all the turmoil, Europe is today where it is because of the influence and force and strength of religion.

The different historical aspects, that have been like clay to the building blocks of Europe, according to Pagden, have proven to be effective in creating a common culture, for a brief period. This helped create a sense of 'European identity'.  He reviews the historical aspects of religion, war and Rome. He highlights the great role, yet again, Rome played in history and in Europe's identity, including passing down generations of unique and brilliant philosophy, language, and architecture. Elaborating on this theme, class discussions regarding the reading of Richard Jenkyns' chapter on "The Legacy of Rome" resulted in similar conclusions as Pagden. Curiously, Pagden writes "despite the religious, cultural, and linguistic unity they had given to the continent, neither the Roman Empire, nor Christendom was, of course, identical with 'Europe'" (Padgen, 45). He reiterates that Christianity came from Asia, where Rome also found its origin. In a most intriguing explanation, he states that "'Europe' was, and always has been, a highly unstable term" (Pagden, 45). He fuels this by explaining the geographical ties with historical uncertainties of 'Europe'.  Interestingly enough, there was some form of 'Europeaness' because Professor Sean Field mentioned in a class discussion that even the roots of nationalism, a very strong indicator of ties to one's homeland, originated in Europe.

            On the topic of superiority, "an Asian princess had become, as she appears in Sebastian Munster's Cosmographia of 1588, a Queen" (Pagden, 51). Our textbook on The History of the Idea of Europe, whose introductory chapter is an article by Pim den Boer called "Europe to 1914: The Making of an Idea", includes a wonderful picture of this pictographic historical piece which depicts Europe as Queen.  The image shows different parts of her dress and body as parts of Europe. This artistic interpretation conveys the idea that Europe is indeed the queen and center of everything.  Beginning with Mythology, Pagden brings Europe's identity from birth to a queen, but on the way through he uses, Roman influence, citizenship, government, and religion to illuminate how Europe has been searching for its identity for so long. Europe has made its way, some would say plodding, some racing, through time, to end up with what Pagden illustrates as a superior continent.

Through Pagden's chapter, the text, and class presentations, it is clear that Europe has been influenced by many aspects of life and history. It was born from myth, socialized in war and religion, and is coming of age in the international spotlight. The idea of Europe has been built upon and molded, like a clay figure centuries old, now ready for display in the world museum. From the days when myths were prominent in life, to the days when we question and examine everything with a critical eye, Europe has survived. Pagden's contention about Asia as great influence to Europe was interesting, though as a class we mentioned this only slightly in the beginning. Pagden is missing, many aspects that contribute to the "conceptualization" of Europe as a continent, most prominently later historical occurrences. In the end, though, Pagden provides us with a good supplementary overview to our class, of some of the key aspects that contributed to Europe's identity.