Wednesday, April 22, 2020
Soviet films of silent era Essay Example
Soviet films of silent era Essay Soviet films of silent era The beginning of the new state of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics marked the beginning of the silent era films in the soviet. The state was willing to invest in the film industry, which had largely been neglected, since they intended to use it as a political tool. The political authorities knew that films appealed to the masses and they were willing to invest in it so that they could find an avenue to appeal to the masses. This gave the directors leeway to find ways of creating films, which would attract people back to the cinemas since most people, were already burdened financially, and they could not afford tickets for the film. The decision by the private sector to introduce foreign films in the country marked a turning point for the movie industry in the country. The union was able to see how the other countries had advanced in the production of their films. They noted how the countries, especially America, were sophisticated in their production. This exposure enabled the m to change the way they produced the movies, as they adopted the foreign methods. Some of the most notable changes were especially realized in editing and as the moviemakers adopted these techniques, they were often criticized harshly for letting themselves be drawn more towards the American way. We will write a custom essay sample on Soviet films of silent era specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Soviet films of silent era specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Soviet films of silent era specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The film The Battleship Potemkin (1925) is among the best silent era films and it was directed by Eisenstein Sergei in 1925. The film portrays a rebellion drama about the Russian battleship Potemkin against the Tsarist regime officers, which occurred in 1905. This film is considered as one of the propaganda films of the time. Eisenstein produced this revolutionary propaganda movie and divided it into five episodes. He used the movie to test the montage theories and attempted to edit the film in a way that produced an emotional response. The film reveals the influence of political thought that was noted by Joseph Goebbels, a Nazi minister who called the movie a marvelous film. Although the movie was not banned in Germany, the defense officers were prohibited from watching it. Some of the principal elements used in The Battleship Potemkin (1925) are diverse. First, this propaganda film historically focuses on the Brussels Worldââ¬â¢s Fair of 1958 after the World War II and it is a political influence film of the time. Eisensteinââ¬â¢s is a historical Soviet filmmaker who uses his film to portray many heroes of the period. For instance, in the first part of the film, The Odessa Steps scene reveals the most celebrated massacre on the Odessa steps. This scene reveals the Tsar soldiers making endless flight steps in order to show their heroism. The massacre on the steps did not take place in real life but it is a form of propaganda demonstrating the imperial regime of the time. The demonstration made by the mass heroically reveals power and politics during the historical period. The editing style was made in such a way that produces an emotional response thus evoking sympathy from the viewer as well as urging feelings of consideration towards the rebellious sailors of the battleship Potemkin. The characterization used in the film is simple in order to make the audience see clearly and understand whom to sympathize with and who to hate for their cruel actions as depicted in the film. The overlapping editing style was employed in order to attract the attention of the viewers thus making the film appealing. Eisenstein employs montage theories that he used in testing the effect of the film editing to audiences. Eisensteinââ¬â¢s experiment was a mixed success but he was later disappointed when the film failed to attract many domestic viewers. However, his film attracted large audiences when it was first released in the international theatre and it shocked many audiences in both Soviet Union as well as overseas. The graphic contrast within The Battleship Potemkin (1925) makes the movie interesting to the viewers. Eisenstein utilized graphic design such as use of humorous images especially use of Odessa Steps, the image of a person with broken glasses and with his mouth wide open while screaming creates amusement. The fragmentation of crucifixion images and other artistic work pays honor to the scene. Additionally, the rapid and rhythmic editing style that was used makes the movie quite appealing. For instance, the instruments that were used were the flute, trumpet, percussion as well as stringed instruments such as the viola thus making the soundtracks of the film quite pleasing. The intercession of the music within the film was meant to commemorate the sixth anniversary of German Premier. The film was named the greatest film of the historical era because it creates dynamic tension among the viewers. This is because it was full of propaganda and the scenes revealed extreme violence. This made the movie banned in the Soviet Union because it created tension in countless people especially when it was first released. Nevertheless, the intercutting style that incorporated contextual text and a flashback narrative as well as elliptical editing used in the movie made many people pay tribute to the film. The use of a desperate crowd of people in the film was an indication of the demonizing nature of the Soviet regime and it was a representation of an inhumane tragedy. The film The Cigarette Girl of Mosselprom (1924) was produced in Soviet Union in 1924 by Mezhrapporn Russ. It was one of the first films produced in the silent era. It is a classic love tale that satirized life in the Soviet Union in the 1920s. It is the story of a young girl, Zina, who is ââ¬Ëdiscoveredââ¬â¢ by a movie company and she ends up becoming an actor. Three men are interested in Zina and they try all they can to get her attention. The movies title comes from the fact that Zina used to sell cigarettes. There are many moments where the characters do not understand each other and this brings about various complications and funny scenes. The movie was largely criticized for having a more Western appeal at the expense of the soviet traditions. The critics claimed the movie had a lot of American influence in terms of the language used and the emotions and sentiments expressed by the characters. Many of the people did not hold this thought however, and the movie was one of the most successful movies in the silent era. In terms of content, the movie was different from the common movies of the time in the Soviet Union. Most of the movies produced in the country showed the countryââ¬â¢s struggle and hardships, and the revolution. The movie industry in the country had been experiencing slow growth because of the harsh economic times and the fact that the countryââ¬â¢s movie industry had not opened up to the other countries. This changed however and the country began importing movies from America and the rest of Europe. This changed the movie industry in the country and the moviemakers started changing the way they were making movies. They changed the way movies were edited after seeing the more complex ways that American movies were made. The Cigarette Girl of the Mosselprom adopted some of these techniques, hence the criticism brought towards them that the movie did not reflect the Soviet Union. Prior to the American influence, Russian movies were more of theatrical performances One of the differences between American and Russian films especially before the Russian revolution was seen in editing. American films could incorporate many details within a short time and this aided in developing the plot. Russia did not produce lengthy films at the time. They learned how to develop the plot and avoid awkward moments in film by learning from the American films. In the film, the directors have tried to incorporate many details in several scenes. For instance, the arrival of MacBright is a classic example. The directors looked for someone who was overweight and smoked. He presented himself as a rich yet selfish man in the way he treated the taxi driver. The presentation of the rich in the society represents the capitalist system that was present at the time. The scene shows how the capitalist system exploited the vulnerable in the society. The image of the capitalist system in the society is replicated in many of the movies that were produced in the country in the 19 20s. The silent era movie The End of St. Petersburg (1927) was directed by Vsevolod Pudovkin and Mikhail Doller, and produced by Mezhrabpom in 1927. The main intention of filming the film was to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the revolution. The movie shows the atmosphere that surrounded Russia at the time of the revolution. It depicted peopleââ¬â¢s suffering as they moved from the farms to the city to look for work. It shows the internal conflicts that were facing Russia at the time. People were tired of the few capitalist who enjoyed majority of the wealth, yet the majority poor were suffering and they lacked food. It shows the impending war with Germany and the sacrifices that individuals and families had to make when their loved ones went to war. This is realized in the life of the protagonist, a peasant farmer who is forced to travel to the city in search of work. The farmer ends up being arrested and he is sent to fight in the war. The directors used various techniques to portray contrasting elements in the movie. For instance, they used different shots to emphasize the difference between various groups and individuals. This is clear in the way the images of the stockbrokers, who in this case represent the capitalist system, are contrasted with the dead soldiers. The photographer captured the images of the stockbrokers at a high angle, while he caught the images of the dead soldiers at close-up. The director was more interested in showing the courage of different individuals in the film. He realized this by demonstrating the conflicting situations and challenges that the people were going through. For instance in the movie, a woman carrying what seems to be her last portion of food is seen looking for her son so that she can share the meal with him. She instead ends up sharing with the men who are fighting the war. America was the face of the capitalist system and it often conflicted with communist nations. Russians had a different view of the capitalist system. They did not like the capitalist system since it only worked to benefit a few people in the society, while the majority struggled to survive. This resentment was not only reflected in real life, but it was also captured in the film. The film is a classic example of how the people felt towards capitalism. The director brought out this clearly in the way he depicted the stockbrokers making their deals and in the soldiers dying in the mud. The people were tired of capitalism and they fought to end exploitation. The directors noted the way the people were suffering during this period and he incorporated it in his work. Kuleshov developed his theory of making films in montage, which included combining different shots instead of the earlier practiced method of having individual shots. Other directors in the country developed the idea in the c ountry to suit their own taste. This technique was largely utilized by directors such as Eisenstein and Pudovkin. This is clear in the film as the protagonist appears in almost every scene. The movies in the silent era, just like some movies today, represented the society as it was then. One of the most common themes in the story is the way the system of capitalism was disliked by the people. Although capitalism was effective in most economies, it was not always reflected as such in other economies. Few individuals chose to exploit the people, especially the most vulnerable in the society, and this contributed the general negative perception that most people had. The end of the revolution and the beginning of a new union also marked the beginning of a new era in the silent movie industry. The moviemakers during this time realized that the American film industry was more sophisticated than their own. They realized that they had to add other themes, other than war related themes in the movies. They needed to attract people if they intended to develop and grow the movie industry in their country.
Monday, March 16, 2020
Ramses essays
Ramses essays Ramses II a Egyptian king the third ruler of the 19th dynasty and the son of Seti I. Ramses was born some time around 1304 BC and died around 1237 BC. Ramses was one of the greatest rulers of ancient Egypt if not than the best as Pharaoh Ramses was the most powerful known to mankind under him came the high priest and below the high priests came the prophets. Ramses life remain a mystery but he always recorded his big achievements. Ramses II was on the Egyptian throne for 67 years. Over all those years it was mostly quite and peaceful. Also over his reign in ancient Egypt Ramses became known for his great construction He was the most prolific builder of any age . Ramses had a hard childhood he was given great responsibilities and great honors and by the age of ten Ramses was captain of the army. By 1920 BC Ramses, just like many new kings spent the first few years visiting his kingdom and all the territories to see where the troubled areas are. In his fifth year of ruling E gypt, Ramses ran into some trouble, King Muwatallish of the Hittites who was planning to attack Egypt. Therefore Ramses set out and crossed the Egyptian frontier about 15 miles from Kadesh Ramses found the division of Re who were unaware that the Egyptians were coming and they were not prepared for battle so they fled to another group called Amun and they to were unaware of the Egyptians. So the two groups fled to Kadesh to meet the Hittites. Ramses attacked pushing the groups into the riverbank. King Muwatallish watched the battle from a distance forgetting to send in his 8,000 spearmen. Ramses head long charges had pushed the Hittites back to the river banks. The next day the savered hands of the dead were presented to Ramses. The troops praised their leader! Ramses was proud and the only thing he praised was his shield-bearer and his two horses. The battle of Kaldesh could have easily been won by the Hittites if they ...
Saturday, February 29, 2020
Alcohol : Alcohol And Nicotine Abuse
topic- Iââ¬â¢ve decided to write about alcohol abuse because it has effected people in my family in many ways Definition - Alcohol abuse: Use of alcoholic beverages to excess, either on individual occasions (binge drinking) or as a regular practice. For some individuals, children or pregnant women, for example, almost any amount of alcohol use may be legally considered 'alcohol abuse. ' Heavy alcohol abuse can cause physical damage and death. Definition of Alcohol abuse (2016 MedicineNet). Retrieved septemberâ⬠¦ Alcohol Abuse Amber Wienberg Brown Mackie College- Lenexa, KS July 11, 2015 Alcohol Abuse Alcohol is the most abuse and widely used substance (Fortinash & Worret, 2012, pg. 333). According to Fortinash and Worret, 9.6% of American males and 3.2% of American females are alcohol dependent (2012, pg. 33). As stated by Psychology Today, alcohol abuse is defined by: failure to fulfill major school, work or home responsibilities, drink and driving, reoccurring legal issues related to alcoholâ⬠¦ Drug and Alcohol Abuse Drugs are not something that plagues the local area, it is all around the world. Drugs have been around for a very long time. Drugs have been hurting people mentally, physically, and emotionally for centuries whether illegal or legal. Some say that drugs are okay, it causes no harm, but the person taking drug. Taking a certain amount or the wrong drugs can get people in trouble or even kill them. Drugs can ruin peoples lifeââ¬â¢s. The average age of people who firstâ⬠¦ Advocating for Prevention of Alcohol Abuse Advocating for individuals to reduce alcohol abuse and dependence is crucial to societyââ¬â¢s well being. The Center of Disease Control and Prevention estimates that between the years of 2006-2010 ââ¬Å"excessive alcohol is responsible for 88,000 death annually and cost the United States an estimated $223.5 billionâ⬠(cdc.gov, 2016). The short and long-term health risks of alcohol abuse are significant and are estimated to shorten the life span of individuals byâ⬠¦ Alcohol dependence is a substance related disorder in which an individual is physically or psychologically dependent upon drinking alcohol. There are many reasons for why people develop alcohol abuse disorder and they can be explained through biological, psychological and social approaches to explain this complex disorder. Biological evidence shows us that certain people are more genetically vulnerable to drug abuse according to researchers conducting twin, family, and adoption studies. It is alsoâ⬠¦ also verified college binge drinkers are more likely to develop one or more alcohol related diagnostic criteria such as alcohol abuse and dependence in post college years compared to non-alcohol drinkers. In line with Jennisonââ¬â¢s study, the research (National Center on Addiction and Substance abuse, 2002, cited in Doran et al, 2006, P.1920) depicted that the early starting drinking in adolescent is related to developing alcohol issues as well as trying other illicit drugs ( Barnow et al., 2004, Zeiglerâ⬠¦ using alcohol is an abusing way (Ammerman, Ott, and Tarter). ââ¬Å"It is a chronic and progressive illness that involves the excessive inappropriate ingestion of ethyl alcoholâ⬠(ââ¬Å"Alcoholismâ⬠). Equally, it can be characterized as an emotional and many times, physical dependence on alcohol. It is thought to come from a combination of a wide range of physiological, social, and genetic factors (ââ¬Å"Alcoholismâ⬠). Even though both are very similar, there is a difference between alcohol abuse and alcohol dependenceâ⬠¦ independence. ââ¬Å"Alcohol consumption in humans is the third leading preventable cause of death in the United States (McGinnis & Foege, 1993). A common abuse pattern called binge drinking contributes to a substantial portion of alcohol-related deaths (Chikritzhs, Jonas, Stockwell, Heale, & Dietze, 2001)â⬠.Though with freedom comes responsibility. If not handled properly freedom can lead to bad decisions and the biggest mistake university students make are usually related to alcohol. According to theâ⬠¦ Definitions: alcohol abuse: it is the act of consuming alcohol containing products frequently or inappropriately (e.g. Binge drinking); which might result in short term or long term complications. It is often associated with addictive behaviors and it most likely interferes with personââ¬â¢s normal life balance, including the ability to work and interpersonal relationships. Alcoholism: it is the addiction to consuming alcoholic drinks or alcohol dependency. this condition is also classified as alcohol-use disorderâ⬠¦ The affect that alcohol has on an individual is dependent on the relationship they have with the substance. Alcohol use can be defined as having one drink or less per day for women and two or fewer drinks per day for men (Shari, 2011). An individual who is using alcohol safely maximizes the positive effects of drinking (Shari, 2011). Alternatively, alcohol abuse occurs when an individual who is consciously aware of the negative consequences of the substance, continues to consume excessive amountsâ⬠¦
Thursday, February 13, 2020
Relationship between the oil in middle east and war in Afghanistan and Research Paper
Relationship between the oil in middle east and war in Afghanistan and Irag - Research Paper Example This has made studying personality important to ensure a productive workforce. Motivation theory is the other that has gained huge popularity due to its nature of addressing motivation needs in an organization so as to ensure success. A motivated workforce results in high productivity and creativity. This paper will elaborate these issues while offering an example of Google Inc. to explain the importance of employee motivation. According to Cole (2003) management is an area that has been studied for quite some time now with many theories coming up over the years. On the other hand management has been practiced with experimentation of the various theories developed. Management on a rather general term concentrates on organizing peopleââ¬â¢s efforts and available resources in order to achieve organizational goals while benefiting other stakeholders in the process. Achievement of goals and objectives of an organization requires the management to perform certain functions; organizing, planning, controlling and directing according to Cole (2003). In doing so the management must ensure that employees are duly motivated in order to harness their individual efforts towards fulfilling desired results. These factors form the practical aspect of management. Management theory on the other hand is a body of knowledge that aims at addressing problems in management. Planning is quite broad as it is involves formulation of both short terms and long term goals and objectives and formulating how they are to be achieved. Organizing involves developing an organizational structure where people will have tasks to perform and under a well laid out hierarchy of control. This structure is supposed to coordinate all the tasks and responsibilities. This will in turn require a team of highly motivated employees to achieve set goals. Directing involves influencing employeesââ¬â¢ behavior by motivating them through appropriate
Saturday, February 1, 2020
Moral Dilemma Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Moral Dilemma - Research Paper Example This essay implements both of these theoristsââ¬â¢ perspectives, in characterizing the moral development of am eleven-year-old child named Jeremy. Jeremy is an eleven-year-old child who has been faced with a moral dilemma surrounding his actions on a test. The specific scenario is that Jeremy, who has struggled in math, has been promised an increase in weekly allowance if he improves in math by one letter grade. During a math exam, he decided to look on a couple of his peersââ¬â¢ papers and change his answers accordingly. He ended up getting a perfect score, raising his grade by a letter grade, and receiving an increase in allowance. While Jeremy has been successful in his pursuit of a higher grade, itââ¬â¢s clear that his actions constitute moral impropriety. As established, Jeremyââ¬â¢s actions in cheating on his text represent morally improper actions. Still, the question remains whether such immorality is an aberration or is an age appropriate indication of Jeremyââ¬â¢s stage of moral and cognitive development. These concerns have been examined by both Piaget and Kohlberg. Both of these theorists implement a developmental model with stages of the individual passes through (Douglas 1993). Kohlbergââ¬â¢s theory of moral development functions within the overarching context of Piagetââ¬â¢s theory of cognitive development (Douglas 1993). In considering Kohlbergââ¬â¢s theory of moral development within the context of Jeremyââ¬â¢s situation, itââ¬â¢s clear that Jeremy is acting at an age appropriate level. Perhaps the prominent consideration in terms of Jeremyââ¬â¢s development is what Kohlberg terms the pre-conventional stage of development. For individuals at Jeremyââ¬â¢s age, the age appropriate level is the se cond stage of the pre-operational stage. According to Kohlberg & Lickona (1976) this stage is characteristic of acting in ways that directly benefit the self without disregard for larger moral concerns. Itââ¬â¢s clear that
Thursday, January 23, 2020
Essay --
Efficient Cleaning Services Riding on Technology and Customizations In the last century the humans have adored numerous complexities in their life styles and abodes. We developed intricate detailing and have been using newer materials for the purpose of construction of our homes and workplaces. Such beauty and utility additions have rendered the task of regular cleaning as more typical and difficult at times. Although a number of devices were subsequently introduced in the market for the benefit and convenience of the people but cleaning itself evolved as an established vertical and such a service was supported by dedicated sectoral interventions. Some companies gained global recognition for delivering efficient and technique driven cleaning services in Singapore corporate sector. The cleaning operations have been rendered more advanced with attention now focused on the development of new range of cleaning agents that are both effective and safe also. In fact post cleaning ambient-safety has emerged as a much sought after dimension and this aspect has simultaneously leveraged thi... Essay -- Efficient Cleaning Services Riding on Technology and Customizations In the last century the humans have adored numerous complexities in their life styles and abodes. We developed intricate detailing and have been using newer materials for the purpose of construction of our homes and workplaces. Such beauty and utility additions have rendered the task of regular cleaning as more typical and difficult at times. Although a number of devices were subsequently introduced in the market for the benefit and convenience of the people but cleaning itself evolved as an established vertical and such a service was supported by dedicated sectoral interventions. Some companies gained global recognition for delivering efficient and technique driven cleaning services in Singapore corporate sector. The cleaning operations have been rendered more advanced with attention now focused on the development of new range of cleaning agents that are both effective and safe also. In fact post cleaning ambient-safety has emerged as a much sought after dimension and this aspect has simultaneously leveraged thi...
Wednesday, January 15, 2020
A Comparative Essay on Platoââ¬â¢s and Aristotleââ¬â¢s Philosophies on Beauty, Tragedy and Art Essay
The existence of philosophies in life is important and valuable because they are to guide and determine the beliefs of a person. These beliefs are what dictates a person to act as such or to say such things. For all of the Classical and complicated philosophies present in the world and founded by great thinkers and philosophers, having a philosophy is as simple as having a belief and that belief is what constitutes our actions, words and thoughts. A philosophy can even dictate on what kind of school or job person would want to go to. In some instances, there comes a time that shallow or inconsequential perceptions of a personal philosophy arises and though it may seem as thus, it is still important to remember and consider that a personal philosophy is important for a particular personââ¬âsince it is his or her own beliefs, therefore it is who he or she is or who he or she wants to be regarded as. No one can deny the fact that philosophies have gone through intensive and extensive transformation and progress in the worldââ¬â¢s history and it is still transforming and changing in the contemporary times we have now. From the early ages of the Mesopotamian civilization to the Egyptian kingdoms and to the Romans and the Greeks, the branch of knowledge we now famously call philosophy have had great origins and greater people who made it a point to make their way of thinking or personal beliefs knownââ¬âSocrates, Plato, Aristotle, Machiavelli and Nietzsche are only some of the few famous philosophers with different beliefs and different perceptions but which all aimed at the same thingââ¬âthat is they wanted to explain how things function, how life is and finally, to point out that there can be a better way of life for everyone concerned. Something as simple and mundane as what is happiness or what is love is a catalyst for great amount and efforts of thinking since it aims to answer specific things in lifeââ¬âthat is, human beings, how are we as humans and how we function? It is just that in the end, one thing leads to another and we are finally caught up with far more difficult, challenging and complex things. On the other hand, no matter how complex certain philosophies are and no matter how different the philosophers and their beliefs are, one thing remains the sameââ¬âthe philosophers were excellent people who practiced intellectual art and this intelligence is what lead them to more profound concerns about things which could have been considered as unimportant. Literature and art for example may seem unimportant compared to politics or religion but philosophers also studied and scrutinized them. Thus, it is most probable that both literature and art (although literature can be actually considered as an art itself) were probably tremendously influenced by the early examples of the Greek and Roman arts. Therefore, the literature and the art which we are admiring and studying today are all influenced by the offshoots of the particular philosophies which the likes of Plato and Aristotle believed inââ¬âand Plato and Aristotle were only two of the many known philosophers. There are many others who actively advocated certain beliefs or their philosophies concerning life and they did it (such advocacy) not just for the pursuit of intellectual development or personal fame but just because they are in pursuit of something greater for humanity as a whole. The likes of Aristotle and Plato advocated such philosophies since they believed that it aims for better things; as what Ahrensdorf wrote: Philosophy, on the other hand, seems to teach that the pursuit of wisdom through reason alone is the greatest good for a human being, that reason is therefore capable of both understanding the world and of guiding us to happiness, and hence that the world is, at the very least, not opposed to our deepest desires. (p. 151) Thus, though philosophy as a branch of knowledge may be very broad but it also influences many aspects; for example, as what was written before, literature and art (which are also two important branches of knowledge) is undeniably influenced by philosophy as well. In this paper, the philosophies of Plato and Aristotle will be discussed and will focus on their beliefs about beauty, tragedy and art. Though both great philosophers have great connections and are intertwined with each other, and there are even some vague similarities, their views are still astoundingly different and that is what makes it more interesting and intriguing. The Philosophy of Plato Plato was said to be a student of another great philosopher, Socrates who favourite Plato among his students. When Socrates died, Plato was said to be devastated and yet, he being a student of the great Socrates, continued his teacherââ¬â¢s legacy and became a man of philosophy as well. It is quite understandable that much of Platoââ¬â¢s philosophies were offspring of the beliefs of Socrates himself though with many exemptions. Plato was more realistic than his teacher and worldlier. Platoââ¬â¢s ideals concentrated on society and the ethical than that of Socrates who concentrated on the more metaphysical and immaterial things of life. In Platoââ¬â¢s philosophies, the definition and function of beauty, art and tragedy, were exemplified and explained. It is through these three aspects of life that we are able to further understand Platoââ¬â¢s reasoning about his beliefs. Beauty According to Plato, beauty is and will never be linked to the world of arts. In fact, he believes that beauty can never be art and art can never be beautiful. This way of thinking is characterized by his belief that beauty can never exist since if beauty exists then it should correspond to the perfect definition of beauty. For something to be called beautiful it needs to justify such term and labelââ¬âa thing or a person cannot be beautiful just because someone says it so or it has the attributes of being attractive. It should instead, exemplify the perfect virtue of being a beauty. Moreover, Plato believes in the knowledge that if something beautiful does exist, then that is the only time that people can commonly acknowledge that such a beauty exists. Therefore, what we as humans have right now is not beauty but a pretentious definition or judgement for beautyââ¬âaccording to Plato that is. (Adajian and Hughes, p. 5) Art Most famous for Platoââ¬â¢s argument about art is that on the subject of poetry. Plato argues that art are mere representations and are not real as what an original object is. Art are therefore considered as imitations, illusions and a lie. Art is merely copying things in their original form and aims to portray the truth of the original form but they would always lose to its attempts since there is nothing more truthful than the original form and nothing more false than art. Platoââ¬â¢s view on this is most famous for his ââ¬Å"thrice removedâ⬠belief wherein ââ¬Å"artworks present only an appearance of an appearance of what is really realâ⬠. In simple terms, there is an idea or ââ¬Å"Formâ⬠of a person which that person makes into reality or an original physical object but art copies that physical object and is thus, the most inferior of all. (Adajian) Tragedy Platoââ¬â¢s regard for tragedy is not the same intellectual disgust as what he had for the subject of beauty and art; in fact, he is more hostile with the subject of tragedy as he believes that ââ¬Å"by portraying the greatest human beings as suffering beings, tragedy teaches that the world is fundamentally hostile to our aspirations for happinessâ⬠(Ahrensdorf, p. 156). Plato, together with the dialogue with his teacher, Socrates (or most likely, inspired by the beliefs of his teacher) further explains why tragedy is not a correct and erring concept. This due to the belief that tragedy deceives people from the truth and unlike art where imitates or mimics a true ââ¬Å"Formâ⬠, tragedy actually changes how we perceive true Form and eventually alters how we perceive things. For example, Homer and other tragic poets does not only creates lie with their ââ¬Å"soft heroesâ⬠they (meaning the tragedies) also portray mistaken ideals about the Greek gods and how people should act regarding their own personal tragedies. Because of these tragedies, people desire terror and misery and when tragic things do happen in reality, a personââ¬â¢s initial and natural reaction would be either in terror or in misery. Moreover, Plato further explains that because of these tragedies, ââ¬Å"human beings unreasonably [become] soft and cowardly by filling them with fearâ⬠(Ahrensdorf, p. 158). It can be even said that Plato is disgusted with the existence of tragedy since it fills people with dread about the idea of death and death is something evil. Thus, because of how the tragic heroes are portrayed, the audience or people who watch such tragedies are mistakenly believe that death is something to be feared; in conclusion, it makes people cower and weaklings. The Philosophy of Aristotle Ironically, another great philosopher from Greece is Aristotle who was a student of Plato and who had another great person for a studentââ¬âAlexander the Great. If Socrates inspired and influenced Plato, it can be the same for Aristotle who was inspired and influence by Plato. If Plato was more concerned with the ethical, Aristotle was more concerned with the scientific and made famous terms which are known today such as the label for ââ¬Å"matterâ⬠. More than being a philosopher, he was equally a scientist as well and his philosophies and beliefs would in some point, turn and allude to science. Though he was a student of Plato and was influenced by him, his beliefs were far different than that of his teacher. For example, on the concepts of beauty, art and tragedy, he had different ideas compared to Plato. Beauty While Plato believed in the inexistence of beauty as long as something actually perfectly beautiful exists, Aristotle believed otherwise. According to Aristotle, beauty exists depending on the things surrounding that object or person. Something beautiful exists because it meets certain conditions of being classified as such and usually, these conditions entirely depend on the things within the vicinity of that object. Moreover, he defined any object as beautiful if it is clearly and accurately beautiful. Thus, if Plato believed in perfect beauty, Aristotle believed in measured beauty. This is not that surprising since he was a scientist and believed in more logical and reasonable conclusions than that of mere thoughtful imagination; as what Gaut and Lopes wrote, Aristotle explained in many of his writings like Metaphysics and Rhetoric various allusions and explanation on beauty and how it is measurable and definable: This passage appears to assume a definition of beauty in terms of size and proportion. So beauty is a real property of things. Aristotle says much the same thing in De Motu Animalum, when distinguishing what is beautiful from what is merely perceived as desirable. Aristotleââ¬â¢s beauty is real but equivocal. Its meaning derives from the nature of the beautiful thing in question. Aristotle urges his readers to see the beauty of even repellent animals. All living things boast a design suited to the purpose of their sustenance and reproduction, and that is what beauty comes to. (pp. 25 ââ¬â 26) Art Plato is not wholly rooting for the subject of art since it is supposedly an imitation and a lie and it can be concluded that Aristotle shares that same belief. Aristotle defines art as something of a ââ¬Å"realizationâ⬠, a concept which is used to materialize an original and genuine thought. For example, if something is good, and an art is created to depict the concept of goodness then that particular piece of art is a realization. This can be the same as Platoââ¬â¢s philosophy as of art as an imitation of an idea but Aristotle argues that, ââ¬Å"Art however is not limited to mere copying. It idealizes nature and completes its deficiencies: it seeks to grasp the universal type in the individual phenomenonâ⬠. (The Internet Encyclopaedia of Philosophy) Tragedy As opposed to Platoââ¬â¢s definition and concept of tragedy wherein the poets are the ones who creates the tragedy, Aristotle has very different view regarding the concept of tragedy wherein tragedy is based on the heroââ¬â¢s very own nature. Based on the Aristotelian beliefs of tragedy, the hero is wholly good and almost perfect. He is strong, virtuous and good. The gods favour him because he is the hero but if in the end, it is discovered that he has a flaw, and then he becomes a tragic hero. But there is a critical point on why this is the case. Tragic heroes and their pathetic demise exists for one thing and that is to ââ¬Å"purgeâ⬠the audience of the feeling of fear and sorrow: ââ¬Å"tragedy, in depicting passionate and critical situations, takes the observer outside the selfish and individual standpoint, and views them in connection with the general lot of human beingâ⬠(The Internet Encyclopaedia of Philosophy).
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