Humanities Unit 1

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2HUMANITIES: TIMEAND PLACE The Humanities include disciplines such as sculpture, painting, drawing, printmak- ing, photography, fi lm, music, and theater. The study of humanities enables stu- dents to look deeply into themselves to make more sense of their own existence. The humanities help them to discover a better sense of who they are and give more meaning to their lives.

The humanities offer individuals a method of categorizing and placing artistic creations in a systematic approach to the study of past cultural achievements. They express ideas in tangible ways through artistic and musical expressions that were created in particular time periods. This approach gives a sense of time and place to the works that were created and an appreciation of the effort that was put into the works by their creators. Furthermore, in-depth study of the works may then lead to a desire to fi nd out how the work was made, who did it, and why it was made. This sense of wonder and a desire to know more about the creative process is what sparks students’ interest in the endeavors of artistic creators across generations. That spark will lead to a sense of self-discovery. As students study how and why the works were created, they will gain a heightened respect for the work. As they ponder and notice how the art was accomplished, they will develop a greater sense of respect toward the works of the past and be able to understand their aesthetic and artistic value.

This sense of history is unique within the study of the humanities. Artistic works take on a new meaning in their refl ection of time and place. The Humanities is con- sidered interdisciplinary since it possesses several subjects. When a student studies a creative achievement, he realizes that the work refl ects what was going on when it was created. If it was a musical composition, for example, the composer may have refl ected a very strong feeling about a diffi cult social issue or political struggle. The music may include tense chords in that case. These chords if they sound chaotic and or screechy, for example, they are called dissonant. These dissonant sounds provide one with a feeling of tension and nervousness. Those sounds are expressed to the listener because the composer uses a combination of tones to develop the sounds he wishes to create. When someone listens to that composition today, he can still respond to the sounds of that composition. These dissonant musical sounds can still make us feel unrestful just as it was performed originally. That is remarkable. Some of the greatest pieces of music do not go out of date but continue to speak to people. Great music continues to be performed and remain meaningful.

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It is the same way with great paintings. A great portrait captures a sense of time and place. Some of the great artists were able to paint portraits that capture the view- ers’ imagination and sense of wonder. Their paintings stir a desire in the viewer to add his own ideas and points of view to the painting. If the painting is too fi nished or complete, it may leave nothing more to be desired. There may be nothing left to the imagination.

QUESTIONS

Questions to Contemplate

Can you think of any paintings that have captured your imagination? Were those paintings ones that you wanted to see again and again?

Sometimes someone goes to a fi lm and the next day a friend asks if he wants to see it again. He may have still been thinking about the fi lm, so he agrees to go with his friend. The second time he may actually see more in it and enjoy it even more. What type of fi lm would someone be able to sit through more than once, noticing more of the script, visuals, camera angles, camera movement, lighting, and other creative shots with each subsequent viewing? Would a fi lm of that quality possess characteristics that would be considered art? Most peo- ple would say that art possesses characteristics that surpass time and place and are universal in their appeal. They are also characteristically unique, creative, innovative, meaningful, and sometimes not readily understood.

Why Archaeology Is Essential When Studying the Disciplines

in the Humanities

According to some historians, studying Western Art is a refl ection of how people lived and what they believed in at a particular period. For people living in the West, it was important to examine the innovations of those artists who dared to resist the establish- ment and authorities. They were resilient when they received a “no” and continued to create their fi ne art forms even under duress. Some fi ne artists dared to create innova- tions that were contrary to the system. These new methods became boundless without the constraints of tradition. In several areas of the Western Hemisphere, in periods after the Renaissance, some bold artists dared to resist the authorities and spread their wings. Some of the innovations became styles that will be discussed later in the text. In Unit II, when reading biographies of individuals, notice how the fi ne artists’ own discipline and courage infl uenced his or her mission.

Humanities: Time and Place 7

Sometimes Great Works of Art Are Initially Rejected

Some great artworks were not accepted at first. One example is Igor Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring. The first performance was unsuccessful. A year after the first performance, the work was performed again, and it was a success.

History resounds with examples of new artistic attempts that met with terrible receptions from so-called experts, whose idea of what an artwork ought to be could not allow for experimentation or departures from accepted practice. In 1912, when Vasslav Nijinsky choreographed the ballet Rite of Spring to music by Igor Stravinsky, the unconventional music and choreography actually caused a riot: audiences and critics could not tolerate that it did not conform to accepted musical and balletic standards. Today, both the music and choreography are considered masterpieces (Sporre 23).

Another example given by Dennis Sporre of a work that was at first unacceptable but then came to be considered great was the play Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett (1953). In the play, Beckett “does not have a plot, characters, or ideas expressed in a conventional manner. In this play, two tramps wait beside the road by a withered tree for the arrival of someone named Godot. The tramps tell stories to each other, argue, eat some food, and are interrupted by a character named Pozzo leading a slave, Lucky, by a rope. After a brief conversation, Lucky and Pozzo leave. At the end of the first act, a boy enters to announce that Godot will not come today. In Act 2, much the same sequence of events occurs. Then Lucky leads in a blind Pozzo. The tree has sprouted a few leaves. The play ends as the young boy returns to indicate Godot will not arrive that day either. If your standards require a successful play to have a carefully fashioned plot wrapped around fully developed characters and a clear message, then Waiting for Godot cannot possibly be a good play. Some people agree with such an assertion; others disagree vehemently. What, then do we conclude? What if my criteria do not match yours? What if two experts disagree on the quality of a movie? Does that ultimately make a difference to our experience of it?” (Sporre 23–24).

Igor Stravinsky Stravinsky’s “Rite of Spring” Russian composer 1882-1971

Igor Stravinsky is considered to be one of the greatest composers of the twentieth cen- tury. He took lessons from Rimsky-Korsakov who taught him how to write parts for all the instruments in the orchestra. Stravinsky was a quick learner and was very interested in studying the past history of the Russian heritage and the music of the people who lived in the countryside and so he visited Ustilug, Russia. This is where he played folk instruments and came up with the idea of using orchestral instruments in the “Rite of Spring,” playing solo parts in higher ranges than the players were normally used to do- ing. This was a challenge. Stravinsky also thought that the sounds of the unsophisticat- ed village folk music would be exiting for the orchestra to play and this was an influence

8 What Are the Humanities?

upon him as he composed the “Rite of Spring.” When the bassoon played a solo part in the “Rite of Spring” someone in the audience was confused as to which instrument was being played because it was difficult to recognize the timbre (quality of sound) of the bassoon since it was higher than it normally played.

The composition of the “Rite of Spring” was a combination of unusual meters which changed frequently from one meter to another. If we look at the music, we can see that there are different time signatures every few measures right at the begin- ning of the composition. This was a new method as well for the listening audience so the composition was a challenge for the audience. When it is performed by symphony orchestras today, audiences may be more used to this type of music. Today there is more exposure to music from around the world. However, when the performance of the “Rite of Spring” was first heard, it was so new and unusual for those people that they were struck with terror. Many of us have become accustomed to dissonance (clashing sounds) and unusual noise types of sounds created by orchestras. We hear sound tracks for films which have many weird sounds. However, in 1913, that was a different scenario.

Some historians say that Stravinsky’s religious works were notable and reflected a period of time in his life. The work he did at this time was the cantata “Symphony of Psalms” (1930) and operatic oratorio “Oedipus Rex.”

In 1934 Stravinsky took up French citizenship. He had lost his property during the Russian revolution and made a living composing and performing. He was a concert pianist and an orchestra conductor at that time. Stravinsky lived in Russia, France, and Switzerland and then during World War II came to the United States in 1945, and he and his wife became U.S. citizens that same year.

Source: http://www.pbs.org/keepingscore/stravinsky-rite-of-spring.html; https://www.britannica.com/biography/Igor-Stravinsky/images-videos/Igor- Stravinsky-1920/55847

Keep This in Mind In order to understand the play, one has to watch it and examine it in depth.

Waiting for Godot By Samuel Beckett 1906–1989 Born in Dublin, Ireland

In this play, the author uses repetition, making one day seem the same as the next. The two main characters participate in nonsensical undertakings. The two of them look into a boot and a hat and find nothing, for example.

The two main characters Vladimir and Estragon have problems remembering one day to the next. To the viewers, it may seem as if the flow of time is somewhat meaning- less for those two characters playing on the stage. The idea that time is something that all creatures deal with becomes real for viewers while watching the production. Is this the universal idea in the theatrical performance?

Whether people are able to utilize their own time wisely and make something out of their life by using their own time in ways that make things happen is also something to consider. Do viewers want to consider this idea after they watch the play? The play can have several ideas for different individuals, so is this why the purpose of the play is

Humanities: Time and Place 9

somewhat difficult to define? Think about the two characters and what they are doing on stage with their time as they just wait mindlessly for something that never comes.

At one point in the play the characters actually contemplated suicide, because they became so disenchanted with their wait. After they were told that Godot would not arrive they were very disappointed. However, they kept waiting in hope that Godot would still arrive.

If people are always waiting for something to come along or to happen, they do not prepare, they just wait. They wait and wait and after a while their wait just becomes an action of waiting and it is the same over and over. This may happen over and over again and then it becomes a behavior which may become a habit that makes them pes- simistic. It can seem to make such individuals look forward to their own death. This is what happens in Waiting for Godot. In life, if we end up waiting and waiting but do not know what we are actually waiting for, then we are not really waiting for anything and our waiting seems hopeless.

How does this make a normal person feel?

Do you think that waiting and waiting makes a person really feel fulfilled or happy?

Could this play ask questions about an individual who may be waiting for some- thing to happen but just keeps waiting and waiting so the actions of waiting be- come meaningless?

Why would a play like this be considered a masterpiece?

Source: http://www.jeffreybigham.com/papers/godot.html; http://www.samuel-beckett.net/godot_jeff.html

Biography of Samuel Beckett Samuel Beckett was born in Dublin, Ireland. His father William Frank Beckett worked in the construction business. His mother worked in the medical field as a nurse and his parents wanted their son to have a good education. They made sure that he was able to attend the Portora Royal School and later he obtained his bachelor’s degree from Trin- ity College, Dublin (1927). He was a very serious student and later it was said that he probably suffered depression while in school, and perhaps it may have actually helped him in his writing to be more creative.

He traveled to Paris, France as a young man. While there, he was attacked. That experience greatly affected him. He later said that while recovering from the wounds as he was lying in the hospital, he decided not to press charges upon his attacker. He later decided to write about his experiences in novels and plays using other names instead.

He also tried new ideas and his plays began to reflect his experiences although they were not written with conventional plots and traditional locations or time frames. He focused on themes that dealt with pessimism and depression and loneliness.

During the Second World War, Beckett was allowed by the French government to remain in Paris.

He was a citizen of Ireland; however, he was fighting in the resistance movement until 1942 when members of his group were arrested by the Gestapo.

When Beckett was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1969, he did not want to make a speech at the ceremonies. Therefore, he declined to accept the award. Schol-

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ars say that he was not a recluse; since he often met with artists and admirers to talk about his work. He died in a hospital in 1989 a few months after his wife passed away.

Source: http://www.biography.com/people/samuel-beckett-9204239#synopsis