INTRO TO HUMANTIES C100
The Mediterranean Sea (Classical Period, Cultural Exchange and Diversity )
"the incubator of western civilization", because it facilitated cultural exchange among the ancient civilizations in southern Europe, western Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.
What are the major historical periods covered in this course?
(7) The Classical Period 8th century BCE-3rd Century CE: balance, truth/reason, democracy/republic, polytheism, humanism (7)The Renaissance Period 14th -17th Century: rebirth of classicism, humanism, rationalism, scientific expansion, university system, individualism, self-fashioning (6)The Neoclassical Period 17th -19th Century: skepticism, rationalism, empiricism, order, deism, classicism (7)The Romantic Period 18th -19th Century: nationalism, exoticism, revolution, heroism, passion, individualism, nature (4) The Realist Period 19th -20th Century: Darwinism, industrialization, individualism, age of doubt
archetype
A detail, image, or character type that occurs frequently in literature and myth age-old models by which we comprehend human experience. The concepts of heroes, scapegoats, and heaven are examples of concepts that have been passed down through generations and have become part of our cultural subconscious.
Machiavelli's The Prince (Renaissance literature)
A short political treatise about political power how the ruler should gain, maintain, and increase it. Machiavelli explores the problems of human nature and concludes that human beings are selfish and out to advance their own interests
Kouros
An Archaic Greek statue of a standing nude male.
Viola de Gamba (Renaissance period Cultural Exchange and Diversity)
An instrument from 15th century Spain, resembling a Moorish instrument known as a rabab
Humanism (Renaissance)
An optimistic attitude that praises human abilities to be successful in their endeavors, whether in science, religion, art, politics, or behavior. The focus on humanity, human culture, and the human form was the impetus for the classical revival.
Classical Art and Architecture
Ancient Greek art and architecture served to promote religion, present beauty, and glorify Athenian society. Ancient Roman art and architecture focused on themes of power, military victory, and heroism. Ancient Greek art is best known for its focus on balance, harmony, and ideal proportions, elevation of the human form (reflected in classical humanism), In sculpture, the Greeks invented contrapposto, a life-like stance in which the figure's weight rests on one leg. The resulting dip of a shoulder balances the rise of a hip to create a dynamic pose. In architecture, the Greeks focused on balance and symmetry. Greek temples featured columns, topped with a capital, which supported the entablature, a decorative area that featured painted or carved friezes. The triangular shaped roof ends contained more sculptures called pediments. The most notable Ancient Greek structure is the Parthenon, which features Doric order columns. The Parthenon once housed a large statue of Athena covered in gold. Roman architects and engineers further developed the use of columns and arches and also pioneered the use of concrete. The Pantheon in Rome showcases the use of concrete faced with brick. 2.13 balance, humanism
Classical period themes
B/RTH - P/RD balance, reason/truth, humanism polytheism, republic / democracy
Neoclassical themes
CORDES classicism, order, rationalism, deism, empiricism, skepticism
The Printing Press (Renaissance period Cultural Exchange and Diversity)
Created in the west by Johannes Gutenberg in Germany created better maps and guides allowing for the circulation of text, graphics, and written music throughout Europe revolutionized mass communication throughout Europe.
Castiglione's "The Courtier" (Renaissance literature)
Describes the perfect Renaissance man. Dictated social behavior for ladies and gentlemen. Stressed education for all. explores the process of fashioning one's individual sense of self according to a set of socially acceptable standards.
Major Works of the Classical Period that Represents Contrapposto
Discophoros This statue of Augustus of Prima Porta
Renaissance Religion
During this Era, the Roman Catholic Church faced numerous dissenters to its authority, who were reacting to corruption within the clergy. The Church's image and influence were also weakened during the Western Schism, when rival popes in Rome and Avignon battled for control.
Desiderius Erasmus
Dutch humanist and theologian who was the leading Renaissance scholar of northern Europe although his criticisms of the Church led to the Reformation, he opposed violence and condemned Martin Luther. he wrote The Praise of Folly, worked for Frobein and translated the New Testament from Greek to Latin(1466-1536)
Classical Philosophy
Early Greek philosophers, around 585 BCE, started to make inquiries about physical nature which they anchored in investigations of REASON AND TRUTH rather than mythology. These philosophies dealt with ideas of existence, mathematics, change, and atoms. Socrates was the first well-known philosopher to widely use the Socratic Method, where questions and ideas were shared to solve problems in an open discussion. One of his students was Plato, whose student Aristotle was also an important philosopher. Plato believed that people can think analytically and make fair decisions, but they are most likely to act in their own self-interests, unless a ruler forces them to act in the best interests of everyone.Together, Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle greatly pushed philosophy and thinking forward. 2.09 truth / reason themes
Neoclassical Period Order:
Enlightenment thinkers and leaders sought to design political and social order that reflected natural laws and God's will.
Renaissance Literature
Experimented with a wide range of styles that reflected an emphasis on the individual's psychological complexity in addition to the social and moral structures of society that were more often the focus of medieval literature. Many authors found themselves combining Christian and classical learning into Christian humanism in order to reconcile the many conflicts between the two.
Neoclassical Period Empiricism:
First developed in the Renaissance by scientists such as Francis Bacon, may be defined as basing ideas and theories on the direct experience of the senses, including experimentation, as opposed to knowledge gained from books.
Major Works of the Classical Period that Represents Balance
Golden Mean - the middle between 2 extremes. arrogance vs insecurity (self confidence) Contropposto - statue of hermes
classical democracy/ republic theme
Greeks - Democracy The majority rule because of direct voting Romans - Republic- Ensures the rights of minorities through political institutions Both forms of government reflect the the power of the people to rule themselves
Major Works of the Classical Period that Represents Epic Poetry
Homer's The Iliad and The Odyssey, presents heroic and mythological themes with exalted language that celebrates the cultural values of Greek society.
Major Works of the Classical Period that Represents Lyric Poetry
In "A Lament for Adonis," Sappho calls on Aphrodite, the goddess of love, to help save Adonis, the god of beauty and desire, who has left and is forever fading, metaphorically speaking. In so doing, Sappho suggests the loss of love, beauty, and desire in her own life.
Classical Religions
In Greece and Rome, polytheism, a belief in multiple gods, was the most common. In Greece, the primary gods included Zeus, Hera, and Poseidon. In Rome, religion and government were more deeply intertwined, wherein emperors became part of the pantheon of the deities. Muses (Nine goddesses who inspired artists) were extremely important to both Greek and Roman artists. Poets and musicians, especially, relied on inspiration from these spiritual deities (god & goddesses).2.08
Major Works of the Renaissance Period that Represents the Reformation
In Praise of Folly, a satirical essay that criticized corruption and abuses of Catholic doctrine in parts of the Roman Catholic Church. Erasmus also produced a scholarly edition of the New Testament that included the Greek text in print for the first time. The Protestant reformation, seeked to reform the catholic church Martin Luther's Ninety-Five Theses challenged the church doctrines
Renaissance : Rationalism/Scientific Expansion
Many people embodied a strong interest in rationalism and scientific inquiry, leading to deeper understanding of the world and technological developments in such areas as medicine, transportation, and warfare.
Music in the Classical Period
Music in this Period typically consisted of simple four note successions played as a perfect fourth, drawing similarities to the Middle Eastern tradition of music. Key theme was achieving BALANCE. The ancient Greeks and Romans played a variety of instruments, including the lyre, a stringed instrument similar to a harp. instruments found in archaeological sites reveal that the Greeks and Romans typically played woodwinds, such as the flute and the aulos (a double reed instrument), horn instruments, organs, strings (such as the lyre and the kithara), and percussion. The Greeks were interested in the relationship between music and mathematics. "First Delphic Hymn to Apollo" is the earliest surviving fragment of notated music from anywhere in the Western world.
Renaissance Music
Music was more secular than the music of the Middle Ages, and it was characterized by the classical principles of simplicity, balance, order, and clarity, as well as by the use of imitation.
Major Works of the Renaissance Period that Represents Humanism
Niccolò Machiavelli, The Prince Machiavelli's work addresses: the creation of one's public identity based on individual interests the power of self-determination and free will the darker side of the Renaissance's belief in human possibility
monomyth
One story common to all cultures and peoples (the plot is the same to all stories)
Renaissance Art
Painting, sculpture, and architecture departed from medieval traditions and reflected the merging of art and science. Two of the innovations in art were the widespread use of oil painting as a medium and the development of mathematical or linear perspective in painting. Sculpture in was inspired by classical humanism and the rediscovery of classical forms and principles. Some of the most notable artists were Leonardo da Vinci (Mona Lisa, Vitruvian Man, The Last Supper), Michelangelo (statue of David, the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel), and Dürer (realistic paintings).
Major Works of the Classical Period that Represents Polytheism
Pantheon - temple dedicated to all Gods
Classical Poetry
Poets addressed themes of heroism, reason, love, and fate and emphasizes reason, democracy, balance, and the republic. Poets, to this end, celebrate notable humans that best represent these virtues. Two of the most celebrated works of classical Greek epic poetry are Homer's The Iliad and The Odyssey, which use exalted language and celebrate the cultural values of the heroic age. Around the 6th century BCE, Greek epic poetry gave way to Greek lyric poetry, which encompassed a wide range of everyday life subjects through the perspective of personal experience in language that is more intimate. The Greek poet Sappho explored human emotions, such as love and desire, in her poem "A Lament for Adonis." 2.11 truth/reason, polytheism, democracy/republic
Renaissance Themes
RUSH ROCS Reformation, University system, Scientific Expansion, Humanism, Rebirth Of classicism, Self fashioning,
Major Works of the Renaissance Period that Represents the Rebirth of Classicism
Renaissance architecture featured the revival of the dome and the fashioning of secular structures, including palaces, residences, theaters, and libraries
Major Works of the Renaissance Period that Represents a Soliloquy
Shakespeare's Hamlet: A play about a young prince who agonizes over killing his uncle, who murdered his father and married his mother or to commit suicide
Major Works of the Classical Period that Represents Truth/Reason
Socratic Method Allegory of Cave
The Spanish "Golden Age" (Renaissance period Cultural Exchange and Diversity)
Spain became wealthy with gold and silver from trade. The wealth funded art, literature and music which contributed to the period
Major Works of the Renaissance Period that Represents Rationalism/Scientific Expansion
The Age of Exploration or the Age of Discovery allowed transatlantic travel through enhanced ship design, standardized navigational charts, and improved instruments
United States Government
The American political system is a representative democracy in which people have the right to vote, the classical Roman concept of the republic.
Major Works of the Renaissance Period that Represents Individualism/Self-Fashioning
The Book of the Courtier (1528) by Baldasarre Castiglione addresses: the fostering of a public persona to represent one's uniqueness the process of fashioning one's individual sense of self according to a set of socially acceptable standards the attempt to define one's knowledge and skills rather than the depth of one's faith
classical truth / reason theme
The accurate and genuine reality of the world; that which is indisputably factual. The power of humans to discover "truth" through the use of reason (Socrates with the Socratic Method)
classical balance theme
The achievement of putting into harmony different compositional elements that are in dynamic tension with one another.
Greek Alphabet (Classical Period, Cultural Exchange and Diversity )
The ancient Greeks borrowed the alphabet of the Phoenicians, a Middle Eastern civilization, in order to write down their own language,
Universal theme: love
The ancient Greeks developed the distinction between eros (erotic love) and agape (platonic love).
Renaissance : Expansion of the University System:
The approach to education produced the ideal of the well-rounded individual who was not bound to any one discipline. As the university system spread across Europe, it represented a significant change in epistemology.
classical polytheism theme
The belief in multiple gods; religion based on more than one god.
Renaissance Philosophy
The dominant cultural and intellectual movement was classical HUMANISM, which emphasized the worth, dignity, and rationality of man. Renaissance humanism: emphasized not only scholarly achievement but also moral and athletic development encouraged the individual to engage with the world ("The whole glory of man lies in activity") rejected much of medieval thinking as irrelevant to a changing world Renaissance thinkers, like Niccolò Machiavelli, began to account for politics with a nonreligious realism. In The Prince, Machiavelli defended the principle that "the ends justify the means" in governance and statecraft. Classical humanism also stressed the individual's role in the social and political order by emphasizing general responsibilities of citizenship and respect for public duty. It held that participating in the political life of the community was an obligation.
Silk Road (Renaissance period Cultural Exchange and Diversity)
The expansion of trade routes on land and sea allowed spices, precious gems, and fine silk to arrive from Asia. Trade was eventually blocked by the Ottomon Empire so Europeans began to improve ship design, navigational charts and instruments
Universal theme: hero
The hero is an archetype found in virtually every culture and society because the "heart" of the hero's journey is fundamentally the same everywhere. The hero archetype satisfies a psychological need to see the individual (to see oneself) as capable of stupendous feats (physical, mental, or moral) against seemingly insurmountable and antagonistic forces. (for example) an exalted political candidate, sports superstar, or glamorous pop culture celebrity.
Renaissance : Individualism/Self-Fashioning:
The notion of this theme became important during the Renaissance as artists sought public recognition and reputation. Artists and nobles represented their identity with choices in dress and behavior, a process known as self-fashioning.
Neoclassical Period Skepticism:
The school of "rational skepticism" was prominent during the Enlightenment to ensure that philosophers reached conclusions based on reason, not prejudice.
classical humanism theme
The study of the creative and intellectual contributions of all human cultures.
Renaissance Theater
Theater slowly evolved from the informal roving troupes that were characteristic of the Middle Ages. Patronage of the arts allowed troupes to settle into a city, build a playhouse, and take up theater as a profession. As a result, works became longer, more complex, and critically discussed the church. Playwrights used new literary techniques in their works.
Renaissance : Rebirth of Classicism
There was a rebirth of classical ideals, mainly humanism, rationalism, and balance, based on the belief that classical literary, scientific, and philosophical works provided additional resources for learning and living.
Classical Theater
This theater addressed period themes such as humanism, truth, balance, and the essence of life. Classical theater included such literary devices as foreshadowing, tragic irony, reversal of fortune, double entendre, discovery, and use of a chorus. Three common play genres were the tragedy, the comedy, and the tragicomedy. Satyr was a form of comedy. Performances were given in an open-air amphitheater carved into the side of a hill, consisted of an orchestra (stage) where the play's action took place, the skene or scenic wall, and parados or passageways. Actors were exclusively male,wore different masks to depict their identities, be it male or female characters. Sophocles and Aristophanes were two notable playwrights. Sophocles wrote the Theban Plays, and Aristophanes commonly explored gender in society. Oedipus Rex discusses a person's need to know the truth, using foreshadowing and irony. Lysistrata discusses gender relations and the woman's role in society using comedy and double entendre. 2.12 humanism, truth, balance, democracy, republic
Renaissance : Reformation:
This took place in the form of Protestantism, sparked by Martin Luther's outspoken disagreement with many Church practices he believed were corrupt. Overall, reformation of the Roman Catholic Church was a very significant movement in the Renaissance that separated it from the Middle Ages.
beauty
Those qualities that give pleasure to the senses.
Trade by Sea (Renaissance period Cultural Exchange and Diversity)
Time period between the early fifteenth to the early seventeenth centuries when Europeans sailed around the globe and transferred goods, food, plants, and people (in the form of slaves) transforming the countries they reached.
What are the humanities?
To learn what it is to be human, not from a biological sense but a cultural sense. Art, music, literature, philosophy, religion, dance, etc.
*What is a theme? Give a few examples of themes from each period
Unifying ideas that are repeated or developed throughout a literary or artistic work.
Why study the humanities?
We can understand the past as more than just a series of events, but as a pattern of human interactions within a rich context of beliefs, ideals, and experiences. Doing so allows us to build better relationships, to better understand and thus communicate with one another, be it person-to-person or nation-to-nation. By taking measure of our past, and learning to appreciate it, we come to a better understanding of our own values as well as our biases. We can look at our own lives in context. Exploring the continuing questions addressed by men and women throughout the ages through the vehicle of the arts should deepen and enrich our current existence.
How is humanism apparent in Eastern cultures?
While the Western humanistic tradition generally focused on pursuing knowledge and truth through rationality, Eastern traditions such as Buddhism emphasized discipline and self-development through specialized physical and meditative practices in order to assist individuals in achieving spiritual enlightenment.
Revolution
a forcible overthrow of a government or social order in favor of a new system.
Major Works of the Classical Period that Represents the Chorus
a group of 12-15 men that acted as messengers by singing, commentating between scenes, or giving the characters advice and warnings. This is one of the most notable features of classical theater.
The Renaissance Man/Woman (The Renaissance in Contemporary Life)
a person who has broad knowledge and versatile talents spanning many intellectual and artistic disciplines
Oh Brother Where Art Thou
a retelling of The Odyssey and draws on a number of motifs, themes, and characters from the ancient narrative. chronicles Ulysses Everett McGill's journey from prison, from whence he's escaped, back to his wife and seven daughters. The film traces Ulysses' journey and chronicles all of the obstacles he overcomes to reach home and the treasure he seeks. Everett reflects Odysseus' vanity, cunning, charismatic leadership, and unwavering quest for home.
Individualism
a social theory favoring freedom of action for individuals over collective or state control.
Allegory
a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one.
theater
a storytelling art. It often combines speech, music, gesture, dance, stagecraft, and spectacle to perform a drama or musical before a live audience.
Major Works of the Classical Period that Represents Democracy/Republic
an Athenian nobleman named Cleisthenes revised the ancient Athenian constitution and introduced a series of political reforms that he called "demokratia" or "rule by the people."
dance
an art form involving a sequence of rhythmic movements or steps usually performed to music. Historically, dance has often served ritualistic as well as entertainment purposes.
aesthetic experience
an experience of beauty that inspires a feeling of pleasure, which is its own justification, and this experience is valued independently of others.
literature
art form of the written word. It refers to an individual literary work or collectively to the creative writing of a people, nation, or culture. Major forms of literature include poetry, novels, plays, and short stories.
music
artistic form of auditory expression that incorporates instruments or human voices in a structured and continuous manner.
cinema
artistic medium that uses the motion picture as a vehicle for storytelling and other creative expressions
William Shakespeare
become the most famous writer in English by writing plays and poems that examine such human emotions as loyalty, ambition, love, hate, greed, and self-sacrifice.
Martin Luther's Ninety-Five Theses
challenged the doctrine of papal infallibility and rejected the Catholic Church as the necessary intermediary between the faithful and God.
humanism
creative and intellectual contributions made by all cultures that emphasizes human reason, values and the scientific method.
visual arts
entail creation of primarily visual works, which can be two or three-dimensional. These include painting, illustration, photography, printmaking, and sculpture.
eros
erotic love,
Recurring themes
individualism, revolution, and classicism,
Italian Glassmaking (Renaissance period Cultural Exchange and Diversity)
inspired by the beauty, color, and luster of Islamic glass and pottery.
Greek Sculpture (Classical Period, Cultural Exchange and Diversity )
kuoros a free-standing male nude sculpture, renowned for its beauty and life-like appearance.
Major Works of the Renaissance Period that Represents an Allegory
manifested in a physical way. Christopher Marlowe; Doctor Faustus a scholar that sells his soul to the devil and because he refuses to repent is dragged to hell
United States National Monuments
many monuments and national buildings echo architectural styles that were developed during this Period. Great public buildings in ancient Greece and Rome, such as the Greek Parthenon and Roman Pantheon, inspired design elements that are present in the U.S. Capitol and Supreme Court buildings.
Disciplines of Humanities
music, cinema, visual arts, literature, theatre, dance, architecture, philosophy
agape love
platonic love. such as love for family or friend
Silk Road (Classical Period, Cultural Exchange and Diversity )
provided access to Asia and brought the valuable Chinese good of silk to the Romans. In return, the Romans sent their glass to the east. also opened the door for Eastern religions—such as Buddhism, Manichaeism, and Daoism—to spread to Europe. Christianity also spread quickly along the same trade route.
What is art and how does it function?
provides aesthetic pleasure offers political and social commentary. assist in physical and emotional healing. create historical artifacts from a specific time or place. used to enable commerce in advertising products and services.
Neoclassical Period Rationalism:
put an emphasis on the role of reason as the key to knowledge.
Renaissance
rebirth
Consilence
the "jumping together" of knowledge by the linking of facts and fact-based theory across disciplines to create a common groundwork of explanation.the art and science of exploring the overlaps of what are often considered quite different subjects, such as the science and Humanities, in search of commonalities and places of agreement. By understanding how these subjects overlap, we are able to see a broader, well-rounded picture of humanity. Additionally, it is important to see how these different subjects influence one another.
The Liberal Arts in Education (The Renaissance in Contemporary Life)
the ability to think critically, to write and speak persuasively, and to apply logic and analysis—will better prepare students for the challenges of the twenty-first century than learning a particular content area.
Renaissance Architecture
the revival of the dome and the fashioning of secular structures, including palaces, residences, theaters, and libraries.
architecture
the science and art of designing buildings and other structures and is concerned with the aesthetic effect of structures in their surrounding environment.
What new elements or innovations did the classical period introduce in this discipline?
the switch from epic to lyric
philosophy
the systematic investigation of fundamental questions concerning such matters as existence, reality, consciousness, knowledge, truth, and justice. The main branches of philosophy are metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, aesthetics, logic, and the philosophy of the mind.
myth
traditional stories of a people or culture that serve to explain some natural phenomenon, the origin of humanity, or customs or religious rites. These stories often offer practical and spiritual wisdom in addition to providing entertainment.
