“Lord Montezuma, I cannot imagine how a prince as great and wise as your Majesty can have failed to realize that these idols of yours are not gods but evil things, the proper name for which is devils.” (p. 237)
This sentence is prevalent to the context of the story in that it highlights both the Spaniards’ interest in this new culture as well as their belittlement of Montezuma’s foreign beliefs. Within the text Cortez often described these foreign deities with a sense of horror, disgust, or confusion, something that strongly contrasts the testaments that Cortez’s offer for the more normative areas of Montezuma’s assets such as the armories, houses, and aviaries. The importance behind this can be quickly illustrated by the tone shift proceeding the ritual sacrifice. Montezuma regarded the rituals to be sacred, which led him to hold great offense when mocked by Cortez’s captain, who criticized them jeeringly, showing that the Spaniards sees these idols as something blasphemous and almost laughable. The negative connotations associated with Cortez’s testament regarding the small idols and ritualistic objects scattered throughout the text further encapsulates his view. This facet of Montezuma’s culture, combined with the Spaniards’ religious self righteousness, as exemplified through Cortez’s appeal using Adam and Eve as an objective fact, would go on to set the premise for the cultural tension between the two groups.
I agree that both Montezuma and Cortez respected their cultures and values. The way they act when introduced to new cultures shows what kind of person they are. It clear that Cortez thought Montezuma’s culture was disgusting and that Cortez’s culture was better since he wanted Montezuma to change. This goes to show that Cortez didn’t have an open mind and that Montezuma was more respectful and more open minded then Cortez.
I agree that Cortez was more close minded than Montezuma when it came to religious beliefs. Adding on to that, Cortez kept insisting that his beliefs were better and this was exemplified when Cortez asked Montezuma if he would allow them to build a church or a shrine at the cue. Montezuma considered this request insulting as the cues were the holy place where his gods and shrine were.