What is the relationship between the humanities and technology?
a) Technology has led to an increase in globalization by making the world smaller and connecting people together through social networks via the internet.
b) Technology has increased our ability to preserve, document and share works of art, literature, and music in a way that is unprecedented.
What theme is found in multiple historical periods?
Individualism
How do we identify themes in a literary or artistic work?
Look for the unifying or main ideas.
What is true of myths?
a) They are traditional stories of a people or culture that are told to explain natural phenomena and to record values and belief systems from generation to generation.
b) They utilize archetypes and symbols to find a deeper understand of life.
Part of public ceremony, ritual, or entertainment dates back to the earliest human civilizations.
Dance
Stems from the early Greeks, with their development of tragedy and comedy.
Theater
Concerned with the interplay of form and function.
Architecture
Can include any system of ethics, values, and beliefs.
Religion
Which discipline of the Humanities is primarily concerned with critical inquiry and reasoned argument?
Philosophy
The Bayeux Tapestry’s depiction of the Norman Conquest of England fulfills which purpose of art?
Art as political propaganda
What are the Humanities?
The study of how the human race understands and documents the human experience through creative contributions in art, music, literature, philosophy, religion, dance, etc.
What are examples of universal themes?
Love and the Hero
Brotherly or selfless love
Agape
A recurrent example or model of human behavior
Archetypes
An experience of beauty that is its own justification
Aesthetic
Passionate or sexual love
Eros
A myth that is embraced by a majority of people throughout history.
Monomyth
Why is E.O. Wilson’s theory of consilience important to the study of the Humanities?
It reinforces interdisciplinary study and facilitates the exchange of information necessary to create a more holistic understanding of who we are.
How was Humanism reflected in the non-western world?
Ancient Chinese culture embraced principles in Confucianism and Buddhism that mirrored Humanist principles.
How does studying the Humanities increase cross-cultural communication?
It helps us to interact with and understand a variety of people from different times and different places through their creative contributions.
How does studying the portrayal of love over time enhance one’s understanding of humanity?
The study of love in all its form (eros, agape, and platonic love) illustrates a distinction in types of love that has captured the attention of artists.
What is the difference between a myth and a monomyth?
Myths can include a wide variety of narratives and archetypes. The monomyth focuses on the hero’s journey.
Emphasized the themes of order and balance in its construction as a temple to the goddess Athena, patron of Athens.
The Parthenon
Applied reason and logical thought to ideas about government and how to live a good, balanced life.
The Republic
An epic poem narrating the story of an ideal Greek hero who combined all the greatest virtues of Greek culture, as well as showing his interaction with the Greek pantheon of gods.
The Odyssey
A story of a man who lives his life not knowing the truth of his parentage and whose pride ultimately causes him to ignore his flawed humanity, resulting in the ultimate punishment of blindness and exile.
Oedipus Rex
A play about heroic women who withhold sex from their husbands in order to end the Peloponnesian war and force a more democratic, egalitarian political climate.
Lysistrata
Sappho’s lyric poem “A Lament for Adonis” represents what major theme of the Classical Period?
The theme of humanism because it emphasizes human passions and emotions rather than idealized gods.
Why is the statue The Metropolitan Kouros a notable example of Greek sculpture?
It utilized vertical and horizontal symmetry in creating the human form.
Which of the following is an innovation during the Classical Period that was based on balance and reason?
The development of Western philosophy and the ideas that underlie the modern scientific method.
What is the primary difference between Greek and Roman societies?
The Greeks lived in democratically-run city-states while the Romans had a larger centralized republic and eventually empire.
How do the visual art and architecture of Greece and Rome differ?
a) Much of the sculpture in Greece was focused on honoring deities and elevating the human form while Rome used art predominantly to glorify the Roman Empire.
b) The Greeks relied on post-and-lintel construction, and the Romans developed the use of columns and arches to design larger buildings.
What reflects the theme of humanism in the Classical Period?
a) Greek philosophers questioned the truth of ancient religious myths in which gods acted unjustly.
b) Aristotle investigated qualities that led to human excellence and made for a good life.
What cultural exchange took place during the Classical Period?
The Greeks borrowed the alphabet of the Phoenicians and used Egyptian influences in their sculpture.
What were the means of cultural exchange during the Classical Period?
a) Greece and Rome’s proximity to the Mediterranean Sea facilitated the exchange of goods and ideas with other civilizations.
b) The Silk Road provided access to Asia, allowing Eastern religions such as Buddhism and Daoism to filter into Europe along with goods.
Which aspects are directly influenced by the Classical Period?
Democracy and U.S. National Monuments
How does the contemporary film Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? represent classical influence?
The protagonist’s journey draws on a number of motifs, themes, and characters from the classical epic The Odyssey.
In his work, The Republic, Plato describes how best to create a fair and orderly society. Which of the following most closely represents his argument?
People are able to think rationally, but they are predisposed to act in their own self-interest, so they should be ruled by a philosopher-king who makes decisions based on reason and justice.
How did Aristotle’s teaching reflect humanism in the Classical Period?
He argued that reason is necessary to guide humans to right behavior and that achieving balance through the Golden Mean creates a virtuous character.
Which musical fragments were dedicated to the god Apollo and are among the earliest examples of written music?
The Delphic Hymns
Which themes introduced in the Classical Period?
a) A focus on balance and reason
b) A focus on humanism and truth
A sculpture emphasizing the renewed learning from classical sources that focused on ideal human forms.
Michelangelo’s David
Renaissance political dissertation on government that advocates the idea that the end justifies the means.
The Prince
A work of Reformation art, this watercolor signifies an interest in the natural world, depicting the subject in fine detail with almost photographic accuracy.
Young Hare
Unaccompanied coal works that employed the polyphonic use of 3-6 voices and were secular in nature.
Madrigals
Dialogue that emphasized how members of a Renaissance court could portray their own unique personalities and self-fashioning.
The Courtier
What is true of society during the Renaissance period?
a) Religious reformers such as Martin Luther split with the Catholic church, ultimately resulting in the formation of Protestantism.
b) Many intellectuals broadened their perspectives beyond Church teachings after the discovery and spread of previously “lost” Classical writings.
What was emphasized by Renaissance humanism?
Humanists sought to educate the whole person, including the physical, intellectual, and spiritual aspects of human beings.
What theme from the Renaissance is shown in the School of Athens painting?
Classicism
How is Leonardo’s Mona Lisa representative of Renaissance painting?
It treats its subject with realistic detail and perspective
How does the following speech from Shakespeare’s Hamlet reflect the themes of the Renaissance?
“What a piece of work is a man! How noble in reason, how infinite in faculty! In form and moving how express and admirable! In action how like an Angel! In apprehension how like a god! The beauty of the world! The paragon of animals!”
The speech reflects the values of humanism by emphasizing the power of learning an an individual’s use of it.
What was Martin Luther’s role in advocating Christian doctrine during the Renaissance?
Martin Luther was a priest and theologian who challenged papal infallibility.
Which of the following is NOT an example of Cultural Exchange in the Renaissance?
Egyptian idiograms influenced European sculptors with their symmetrical forms.
Which of the following is an example of a “Renaissance man or woman”?
A successful business person who plays the clarinet, rides horses competitively, and publishes articles on scientific and artistic topics.
How did advancements in science lead to innovations in other disciplines during the Renaissance period?
Scientific knowledge about human physiology created greater understanding of how the human eye perceives light and distance, which led painters to experiment with techniques of perspectives and chiaroscuro.
What literary devices were popular during the Renaissance?
a) Soliloquy, in which a character speaks aloud to himself on stage, giving the audience access to his inner thoughts.
b) Blank verse, which is poetic verse written in unrhymed iambic pentameter
Who wrote the satirical essay, In Praise of Folly, which criticized the corruption and abuses of Catholic doctrine in parts of the Roman Catholic Church?
Erasmus
How does art from the Renaissance illustrate cultural exchange and diversity?
a) Renaissance artists such as the glass-makers in Italy received inspiration from Muslim artisanal glassware.
b) Carved ivory from Africa was featured in the homes of European royalty during the Renaissance.
Painting by Jacques-Louis David that show three brother swearing their allegiance to Rome and that became an inspiration for French revolutionaries.
Oath of the Horatii
A 35-volume compilation of human knowledge that is viewed as one of the crowning achievements of Enlightenment thinking.
Encyclopedie
A play by Moliere that utilizes satire to expose hypocrisy and offer religious and social criticism.
Tartuffe
Musical composition by Haydn in which the strings create a rhythmic sound that imitates a ticking clock.
Symphony No. 101 in D Major
Jonathan Swift’s satire of human nature.
Gulliver’s Travels
What statements would a Deist philosopher during the Enlightenment subscribe to?
A Deist would believe that God created the universe and decreed order.
Which of the following philosophical approaches relies on direct observation and experimentation?
Empiricism
Which statement is true of Classical music?
It coincided with the Neoclassical movement in the visual arts and emphasized lyrical melodies over more homophonic texture.
How did slave narratives, such as The Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, affect cultural exchange and diversity within the Enlightenment period?
Social progress was aided through realistic depictions of the living conditions of slaves.
How does the Neoclassical Period influence contemporary culture?
Contemporary political satire, including shows like The Daily Show, traces its roots to the use of political satire in the Neoclassical Period.
Which of the following are major themes of the Enlightenment?
Deism, Empiricism, and Order
Why is Voltaire’s novel Candide a significant work from the Enlightenment?
It is skeptical of philosophers who believe this is the best of all possible worlds.
What is Jacques-Louis David’s painting The Death of Marat typical of the Neoclassical Style?
a) It uses sharp, clean lines and chiaroscuro
b) The figure has a sculpted quality, inspired by Classical statues.
How did the rise of capitalism affect cultural exchange in the Enlightenment?
The rise of capitalism helped to increase the exchange of information, allowing intellectuals to form new opinions rather than relying on the bias of tradition.
Why did many Enlightenment thinkers reject slavery?
They embraced the dignity of individual human reason and thought, regardless of racial background.
Which of the following are characteristic uses of political satire?
To criticize and entertain
Which of the following statements about philosophical works in the Enlightenment is false?
Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s theory of the “noble savage” placed the burden of educating Native Americans on the upper class and nobility.
How do themes of the Enlightenment contrast with themes of the Renaissance Period?
a) The Enlightenment valued the order and clarity of classical art, while the Renaissance Period focused on the classical ideas of humanism.
b) The Enlightenment embraced Deism’s understanding of God as a grand architect, while the Renaissance Period explored Catholic and Protestant teachings.
A Gothic novel in which a scientist, in pursuit of ultimate knowledge, brings a corpse to life.
Frankenstein
A poem in free verse that explores the speaker’s connection to humanity and to nature.
Leaves of Grass
A first-person account that documents the inhumanity and human rights abuses enacted by slavery, which helped to gather support for the abolitionist movement.
The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
A Gothic poem that represents the speaker’s persistent grief over the death of his beloved.
The Raven
An epic novel set on the high seas that recounts one man’s futile quest to dominate nature.
Moby Dick
Which of the following are themes of the Romantic period?
Exoticism, Nationalism, and Passion
Which of the following best describes the role of nature in the Romantic Period?
a)Nature was seen as a source of inspiration, and Romantic artists sought to represent the majesty and wisdom of nature in their works.
b) Nature was seen as emotionally evocative and sublime and was used as a source of artistic inspiration.
What best describes the Byronic hero?
The Byronic hero is an intense and passionate figure who often defies authority and rebels against social conformity.
Which sentence best describes Transcendentalism?
A rejection of Empiricism and an emphasis on nature as a source of inspiration.
How does the painting Saturn Devouring his Son by Francisco de Goya exemplify the characteristics of Romantic art?
It draws upon myth to explore irrationality, superstition, and the dark side of artistic creativity.
What is true of architecture during the Romantic period?
a) The architects of the Romantic Period embraced the Gothic Revival, a movement celebrating the religiosity of older Gothic buildings.
b) The architects of the Romantic Period experimented with different building materials, such as iron, steel, and glass
How does Chopin’s Nocturne , Opus 27, Number 1 display characteristics of Romantic period music?
The piece has drastic tempo changes and shifts in mood that evoke strong changes in emotion.
Which Romantic theme is reflected in the following excerpt from William Wordsworth’s The Prelude?
“OH there is blessing in this gentle breeze, A visitant that while it fans my cheek Doth seem half-conscious of the joy it brings From the green fields, and from yon azure sky. Whate’er its mission, the soft breeze can come To none more grateful than to me; escaped From the vast city, where I long had pined A discontented sojourner: now free, Free as a bird to settle where I will.”
Nature as a source of solace and inspiration
Which of the following is true of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125?
It is longer and more dramatic than prior symphonies and utilizes many musicians, including vocalists.
What influenced cultural exchange and diversity in the Romantic period?
Exoticism in art and literature reflected the fascination Europeans had with non-Western cultures.
American composers of hymns and church music were inspired by which of the following during the Romantic period?
They looked abroad for inspiration, drawing from the works of great Classical composers of Europe.
Which musical technique popular in the Romantic period is still used in contemporary music today?
Chromaticism
Which American patriotic song had its roots in the Romantic period?
Star-Spangled Banner
How do the themes of the Romantic Period contrast with themes of the Neoclassical Period
a) The themes of the Romantic Period are influenced by revolution and nationalism whereas the themes of the Neoclassical Period are influenced by advancements in science, philosophy, and politics.
b)The themes of the Romantic Period reflect the importance of nature as a source of wisdom and beauty whereas the themes of the Neoclassical Period reflect a rational and scientific exploration of the nature.
On the Origin of Species
This work presents the theory of evolution, which shows that species evolve over time by way of natural selection.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
This novel examines race relations and follows the story of a young boy and a runaway slave who travel down the Mississippi river on a raft.
War and Peace
This epic novel draws from letters, journals, and other historical reports and examines the Napoleonic invasion of Russia in 1812 through the eyes of five aristocratic Russian families.
The Awakening
Set in New Orleans, this novel tells the story of an artistic and sensitive woman who struggles against the limitations and expectations placed on her gender.
Hard Times
A novel that explicitly critiques the philosophy of Utilitarianism by depicting the hypocrisy of the rich, the plight of the poor, and the gritty realities of industrialization.
Which themes were rejected by the Realist period?
Mysticism and The Sublime
French painter Gustave Courbet once said: “I have never seen angels. Show me an angel and I will paint one.” Which philosophical approach from the Realist period does this quotation express?
Scientific Materialism
What was a major artistic innovation during the Realist period?
The invention of photography
What best describes Realist theater of the late 19th century?
The plays attempted to accurately depict ordinary life, using everyday vocabulary and exploring moral problems that would be relevant to audience members of the time.
What best represents the beliefs and writings of 19th century philosopher, John Stuart Mill?
Mill believed that governments should intervene only when necessary to ensure the greater good and that women should have access to education and be given the right to vote.
Which Realist authors is best remembered for woks that addressed social inequalities and the struggles of the working class in 19th century England?
Charles Dickens
Why is Henry Ossawa Tanner’s painting, The Thankful Poor, a significant work of the Realist Period?
Tanner’s painting is widely regarded as a classic portrayal of African American dignity, and it enables viewers to relate emotionally to the man and the boy.
What is true of composer Claude Debussy?
Debussy experimented with unusual scale patterns, including scales from Eastern Asian music.
Which late 19th century art movements were inspired by the ancient traditions of Japanese woodblock painting?
Impressionism, Art Nouveau, Post-Impressionism
The image of Van Gogh’s Courtesan reflects what movement in the Realist Period?
Japonisme
Which philosophy from the Realist period still influence political systems in the present day?
Marxism
In what ways is the Realist philosophy of Utilitarianism still relevant in present-day America?
The Utilitarian emphasis on the greatest good for the greatest number is reflected in many of our environmental policies, which work to safeguard our environment so as to protect our natural resources and ensure the overall health of society.
How do themes of the Realist Period differ from the themes of the Romantic Period?
a) Nature is treated with deep scientific and material interest in the Realist period, while in the Romantic period, nature is valued for its aesthetic function, in which it is often seen as a rich source of artistic inspiration.
b) The Realists emphasize individualism by examining how individual make complicated moral choices within the context of a larger society, while in Romanticism, the individual is often celebrated for being rebellious and rejecting social conventions.