Terms Flashcards
consilience
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
themes
unifying ideas that are repeated or developed throughout a literary or artistic work
eros
Greek term for erotic love or lust
agape
Greek term for platonic love
Reoccurring Themes
Individualism, Revolution, Classicism
epic
a long poem recounting in elevated style the deeds of a legendary hero; any narrative work (novel, drama, film) dealing with epic themes (i.e. The Iliad and The Odyssey)
archetype
an emblematic mythic character, image, plot pattern, symbol, or buried assumption share across cultures
monomyth
a hero’s journey through archetype that appears in all cultures; a term popularized by Joseph Campbell
humanism
the study of the creative and intellectual contributions of all human cultures or an ethical system that centers on humans and their values and emphasizes reason and the scientific method
myth
traditional stories of a people or culture that serve to explain some natural phenomenon, the origin of humanity, or customs or religious rites
beauty
those qualities that give pleasure to the senses
aesthetic experience
an experience of beauty that inspires a feeling of pleasure, which is its own justification
archetype
age-old (original) models by which we comprehend human experience that include mythic characters, events, symbols, and buried assumptions
discipline
a field of study
metaphysics
nature of being and the world
epistemology
nature and scope of knowledge
ethics
moral philosophy
aesthetics
nature of beauty and art
logic
nature of reasoning
philosophy of mind
nature of the mind and its relationship to the body
Confucianism
a philosophical system based on the teaching of Confucius, stressing moral oral order and harmony in thought and conduct
Buddhism
religion originated in India by Siddhartha Gautama, the “Buddha” (“the enlightened one” in Sanskrit); Buddhists seek the path to enlightenment through physical and spiritual discipline
Classicism
aesthetic attitudes and principles found in the art, architecture, and literature of ancient Greece and Rome
Individualism
that which separates ones unique person from another, as well as social and philosophical viewpoint that celebrates the difference
Revolution
a fundamental, dramatic shift in organizational structure that occurs over a short period of time
balance
the achievement of putting into harmony the different compositional elements that are in dynamic tension with one another
truth
the accurate and genuine reality of the world; that which is indisputably factual
reason
the thought and formation of judgements based on a logical process
democracy
government directly ruled by the people; a form developed by the Greeks
republic
government were supreme power rests indirectly in the body of citizens entitled to vote but is directly exercised by representatives
polytheistic
the belief in the existence of more than one god
muses
Goddesses of inspiration for literature, art, and science
virtue
the quality of doing what is right and avoiding what is wrong
Golden Mean
Aristotle’s term for the desirable middle between two extremes, between excess and inadequacy
symmetry
the pleasing or harmonious proportionate arrangement or corresponding part of artwork, literature, architecture, or music
entablature
the horizontal layers of material of a building that are supported by columns or walls
patricians
a Roman agrarian-based class that competed for power with the equestrians
Archaic Age
followed the Dark Age, circa 800-479 BCE; saw rise of important political structurer and democracy
The Roman Republic
founded in 509BCE; featured the separation of powers with two elected consults who headed the government
kurous
type of statue featuring life-sized male nudes in a stance in which the left foot is placed in front of the right
monotheistic
the belief in one god or almighty deity; religion based on on supreme god
Crete
island off the coast of Greece, home of the Minoan civilization, which exists during the Bronze Age, circa 1900-1400 BCE
mythology
the body of myths belonging to a culture; the study of myths
Mycenaean civilization
a civilization that conquered Crete and was said to have conquered Troy; subject of Homer’s epic poems, The Iliad and The Odyssey, circa 1600-100 BCE
pantheon
a general term to a set of all the deities belonging to a certain polytheistic religion
Pantheon
refers to a temple dedicated to all the Roman gods
Greek philosophers
ancient philosophers from Greece or who spoke and/or studied Greek, that greatly advanced scientific knowledge without appealing to mythology
Allegory of the Cave
Plato’s allegory of prisoners in a cave who mistake appearance for reality (the Forms) and wrongly believe the shadows they seem on the cave wall are real
utopian
describes and ideal community or society; often used to describe a society that does not exist in reality
Socratic Method
analytical method or reasoning developed by Greek philosopher Socrates that asks a progression of questions in pursuit of the truth
The Republic
the most popular of Plato’s dialogues, in which he describes both the ideal person and the ideal state (circa 5th century BCE)
ideal state
a state that is ruled by a philosopher-king who makes decision based on reason and justice
lyrical poetry
poems that use rhyme scheme as a cohesive element and that are often set to music; lyric poems generally express feelings rather than relay political or historical events
Dionysius
the Greek god of wine and fertility; closely associated with the theater and arts
Six essential elements of drama
plot, character, diction, though, spectacle, & music
plot
how the various events of a story are arranged
character
term used to describe each of the persons being depicted in a dream
diction
word-choice; can be classified as formal or informal or denotative or connotative
amphitheater
an outdoor venue shaped as a circle or ellipse used by the Romans for performances; the shape of the theater amplified sound naturally
tragedy
a drama with an unpleasant ending, generally involving the downfall of a flawed protagonist, which often involves catharsis
hubris
Greek word for excessive pride, presumption or arrogance (originally towards the gods)
comedy
a work of theater wherein the sympathetic main characters experience a happy ending; not all comedy has the primary goal of making the audience laugh, though this is a common element
foreshadowing
the deliberate introduction of information (verbally, visually or otherwise) suggesting an event that will take place later in the story
double entendre
when a word or phrase can be understood two ways
reversal of fortune
moment in a tragedy when the main character’s situation dramatically shifts to the contrary (as when a rich man becomes poor or king losses his kingdom)
discovery
moment when the main character becomes aware of an essential truth about himself or his situation; also called the recognition
chorus
in Greek drama, a group of actors who comment on the action and provide society’s view of the events; also, a group of singers
classical humanism
the cultural movement of the Renaissance, based on Greek and Roman classic literature, that emphasized the dignity, worth, and rationality of humankind
kouros
type of statues featuring life-sized male nudes in a stance in which the left foot is placed in front of the right
Canon
a set of rules developed by the Greek artist Polykleitos for created perfect proportionality in the human figure
canon
In literature, art, and religion, an agreed upon list of sanctioned works or laws.
In music , a piece the employs a melody with one or more imitations of the melody played after a giving period of time.
frieze
a broad horizontal band of sculpted or painted decoration, usually on a wall near the ceiling
pediments
the triangular upper part of the front of a building in the classical style
capitals
the top of a column between the column and the entablature
post-and-lintel
in architecture, design where horizontal pieces (lintels) are held up by vertical columns (posts)
lyre
a string instrument like a u-shaped harp known for its use by the classical Greeks
Hellenic
a synonym for Greek
Silk Road
an overland route from Constantinople to Beijing used in the trade of silks and spices between Europe and the Far East, it was eventually blocked by the Ottoman Empire and travel by sea became more popular
Manichaeism
a dualistic religious system with Christian, Gnostic, and Eastern elements founded by the Iranian prophet Mani
Daoism
philosophical system based on the teachings of Lao-tzu; followers seek Dao (the “Way”), which they believe governs the universe. (Also called Taoism)
Doric order
the simplest of the classical Greek architectural styles featuring unadorned columns with no base
The Forms
Plato’s concept that there are ideal essences (the Forms) of objects or things
catharsis
the purging of a spectator’s strong emotions through experiencing tragedy; one of Aristotle’s concepts
skepticism
a philosophy that maintains that there can be no certainty in human knowledge and that mankind should continually be involved with find the truth
tragicomedy
drama that mixes the conventions of tragedy and comedy, generally concluding with a happy ending
satyr
a comedic genre of ancient Greek drama in which satyrs, creatures that combined attributes of men and beasts, formed the chorus and contrasted with the main characters with their ribald antics; depicted the grittier aspects of society, such as drunkenness and sexuality, and offered relief after the tragedies were performed at festival of Dionysus
self-fashioning
the process of fashioning one’s individual sense of self and public persona according to a set of socially acceptable standards
Protestant Reformation
a religious movement of the 16th century to reform the Roman Catholic Church that resulted in the creation of Protestant churches
Martin Luther
German theologian who initiated the Protestant Reformation; argued that salvation is grated on the basis of faith rather than deeds or works
Renaissance
a period in Western history, from the 14th through the 16th centuries, marked by revival of interest in the culture of Greco-Roman antiquity and a flourishing of artistic and intellectual achievement
chiaroscuro
the creation of the illusion of depth through gradations of light and shade
Age of Exploration
time period between the early fifteenth to the early seventeenth centuries when Europeans sailed around the globe (in the form of slaves) transforming the countries they reached
maritime
having to do with a seafaring population
heresy
a challenge to or rejection of the orthodox doctrines of a religion or church
In Praise of Folly
a satirical essay written by Desiderius Erasmus (1466-1536) in which he criticizes the abuses and corruption of Catholic doctrine in parts of the Catholic Church
papal infallibility
Roman Catholic doctrine that the pope cannot err when he speaks about faith or morality because of divine guidance
iconoclasm
the deliberate destruction of religious art, imagery, icons, and other symbols or monuments
commedia dell’arte
early 16th century theater, consisting of improvisational sketches or stock scenes presented on temporary stages by troupes of actors who travelled across Europe
foils
a character used to emphasize and highlight the qualities or features of the protagonist or other characters by projecting the opposite qualities or features
dialect
form of language which is particular to a group of people, such as those belonging to a region or social class
blank verse
a verse written in iambic pentameter without rhyme
prose
language that flows naturally as opposed to language that conforms to the beat of the rhyme such as in poetry
soliloquy
speech by the character in a drama expressing his or her inmost thoughts, heard by the audience but not by any other character
allegory
a work of art which represents some abstract quality or idea, often religious or political, by means of symbolic representation
linear perspective
the creation of the illusion of depth based on the fact that parallel line or edges appear to converge, and objects appear smaller as the distance between them and a viewer increases
vanishing points
a point in the picture plane that is the intersection of the projections (or drawings) of a set of parallel lines in space on the picture plane
Renaissance Man
an individual with broad knowledge and versatile talents spanning many intellectual and artistic disciplines
Reformation art
art movement of 16th century, largely in Northern Europe, that reflected religious views of Protestant Reformation
madrigal
a polyphonic vocal work, usually written for four or five voices, setting a pastoral poem to music, performed without instrumental accompaniment, and intended for secular use
sonnet
a form of poem that commonly contains 14 lines
The Prince
a political treatise written by Niccolò Machiavelli (1467-1527) in which he claims that the ends justify the means and that those with political power should use whatever advantage they have to keep it and control the populace
urbanization
the movement of diverse population into urban areas
Enlightenment
the period in Western history spanning the 17th and 18th centuries, during which a notable shift toward rational thinking and advancement occurred in science, philosophy, society, and politics
Neoclassicism
art movement of 19th century that drew on Greek and Roman art for models of harmony, idealized realism, and reason
skepticism
Greek philosophical school that maintained human knowledge was limited and uncertain and probability of correct morality was enough for acting in a moral fashion
rationalism
a point of view that emphasizes the role of reason, over the senses, in gaining knowledge
empiricism
philosophical doctrine that says all knowledge is derived from our senses
progress
the steady march of advancements made in certain intellectual areas that allow the human race to develop and grow
deism
the belief that God created the natural laws that govern nature but does not directly intervene or interfere in any way
classical
aesthetic attitudes and principles found in the art, architecture, and literature of ancient Greece and Rome
philosphes
a term used to refer primarily to French Enlightenment philosophers who championed reason over faith
novel
a longer work of fictional prose that presents the struggle of a main character or characters against a situation
satire
using humor to ridicule human vices; also a literary genre in which human or individual weaknesses or shortcomings are shown by means of ridicule, derision, irony, or other methods, often with the intent to expose or correct
clarity
the quality of being easily understood or cleanly expressed
order
natural laws that Enlightenment thinkers believed should guide the structure of civilized life
counterpoint
the simplest form of harmony features at least two melodic lines (referred to as voices or parts) of equal value played against one another
polyphonic
music with several independent parts sounding at once
homophonic
music that moves from chord to chord, without undue elaboration, or with a simple melody
lyrical
having an artistically beautiful or expressive quality
fortepiano
an early form of the piano originating in the 18th and early 19th centuries and having a smaller range and softer timbre than a modern piano
opera
a fully-produced, multi-sectional work for the theater whose text (or libretto) is primarily sung by soloists and a chorus, and which is accomplished by instruments, usually a large orchestra
keys
a system of tones and harmonies generated from a hierarchical scale of seven tones based on a tonic
tempos
the measured pace at which a composition is played
register
the range of human voice or a musical instrument
pizzicato
a note or passage played by plucking strings
staccato
indicates that the notes should be short and separated, like ticking of a clock
monophonic
music that contains only a single part
a capella
without instrumental accompaniment
field holler
improvised and/or wordless vocals concerning that singer’s thoughts, typically associated with African-American music and work songs from before the American Civil War
Baroque
movement of the 17th and the early 18th century in art, architecture, and music known for its religious focus and its elaborate and extensive use of ornamentation
Rococo
late Baroque artistic style that was lighter and more playful and used ornate decoration, pastel colors, and asymmetrical arrangement of shell-like curves
sonatas
an extended multi-movement work generally for a solo instrumentalist
symphonies
a full orchestral work usually in four movements
masses
the size, shape, and volume of forms; also, a vocal composition including the sung portions of the Roman Catholic liturgy, primarily in Latin
concertos
a composition for soloist and orchestra in three movements (first and third movements fast, second movement slow)
Romanticism
movement of the early 19th century that stressed passion, emotion, and exotic settings with dramatic action; response to rationalism of Neoclassicism
nationalism
a variant of patriotisms characterized by intense loyalty to a particular nation and its defining values and features
Industrial Revolution
the 19th century transition in many countries from an agrarian economy to one dominated by machine manufacturing
colonialism
the political, economic, and cultural domination by one country over another country or region
exoticism
an artistic trend that took place in Europe in the 19th century, which borrowed and glorified cultural aspects from non-Wester civilizations
Romantic/Bryonic hero
a stereotypical character of a Romantic novel; and exceptional and gifted loner, perhaps misunderstood, who was driven to follow personal passion rather than traditional societal expectations
passion
the evocation of strong, irrational emotion
naturalism
A concept among Romantic writers, particularly poets, that returning to nature as a state of ideal purity was a way to remove the corruption of centuries of human institutions.
A literary movement of the late 19th and early 20th century, inspired by the Darwinian view of nature and scientific means and approaches. In representational visual art it describes images which retain some of the natural appearance of the objects depicted.
sublime
a quality of greatness or vastness that is beyond calculation, comparison, or imitation; often invoked with reference to nature
idealism
Theory that reality is a mental construction or that the object of external perception consists of ideas.
The belief in living by extraordinarily high standards or in creating something that is perfect.
transcendentalism
characterized by a belief that people can become free and self-reliant by returning to nature
Transcendentalist movement
philosophical movement during the Romantic period that emphasized feeling over reason and the role of the individual finding an intuitive relation to the universe through solitude amid nature
free verse
poetry without any fixed pattern of meter, rhythm, or rhyme
egalitarianism
a belief in promoting social and political equality
Gothic literature
a literary style popular during the Romantic, era that emphasized the flawed nature of man and his potential for destruction rather than progress, often through monstrous heroes and/or sympathetic villains
slave narratives
published account of former American slaves who related the hardships and injustice of slavery
Gothic Revival
Romantic-era architectural movement that employed Gothic forms
chromaticism
the movement or displacement of notes by a half-step, as opposed to the tradition of whole-step movement
realism
movement of the second half of the 19th century that emphasized objective portrayals of the world with a critique of the established social and political order in response to idealized Romantic art and literature
natural selection
the gradual process by which certain biological traits fade away or grow through the reproductive success or failure of the individuals that have that trait; a term coined by Charles Darwin to illustrate that certain traits are better suited for certain environments than others
scientific materialism
the belief that physical reality, as seen through the natural sciences, is all that truly exists
imperialism
the policy of extending the rule of an empire or nation over foreign countries, or of acquiring and holding colonies and dependencies
industrialism
the emphasis on and industrialized economic system
utilitarianism
the ethical approach that emphasizes pragmatic ethical decisions for the greater good
Marxism
a social, political, economic, and philosophical theory developed by Karl Marx that highlights the role class conflict plays in the development of different social systems over time. Marxists believe capitalist systems will inevitably be overthrown because of social unrest
daguerreotype
a photographic process where an image is made directly onto a light-sensitive silver-coated metallic plate, without using a negative
impressionism
art movement of the late 19th century that emphasized simplified composition and the effect of light and color to capture a painter’s visual impression
Post-Impressionism
are movement of the late 19th century that, while influenced by impressionism, emphasize a greater concern for expression, structure, form, and emotional response
Art Nouveau
art movement of the late 19th century - early 20th century that favored sinuous lines, curves, and organic motifs, such as plants and flowers
motifs
in music, a brief but recognizable recurring fragment of a melody
atonality
describes music that is written in a way that avoids centering around a specific key
symbolism
the use of a symbol, object, or image to represent something else (that is, a concept or idea)
materialism
philosophical position that all processes, phenomena, and object/beings can be explained as manifestations or results of matter
social darwinism
the theory that individuals, groups, and communities are subject to the same principle of natural selection as plants and animals
Darwinism
the theory of evolution by natural selection developed by biologist Charles Darwin
