Hist Homework

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Below is my Homework: 

 

Discustion - Answer all questions ( View links)

Have a look at the Fiero book, and the videos from this week. How does the changing portrayal of the human body in Ancient Greece reflect other ideas in Greek culture? What values do we see encoded in this sort of idealism?  Aside from the obvious nudity, how would you compare their ideals about the human body to ours today?  Do you think there is an influence at all?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LsrkWDCvxg&x-yt-ts=1422579428&x-yt-cl=85114404&list=PLBDA2E52FB1EF80C9#t=13

https://www.youtube.com/watch?x-yt-cl=85114404&v=JCTPh_QDlCY&x-yt-ts=1422579428

https://www.youtube.com/watch?x-yt-cl=85114404&v=tS0u8XpLoTI&x-yt-ts=1422579428

 

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Give your opinion to the below answers:

Answer 1

Similar to the philosophical awakening, Greek art also went through a period of change (very general statement I know).What stood out to me most in the text was the evolution of statues from very simple attempts at replicating the human form, to very realistic, human figures. What’s so interesting about this is the fact is that these statues didn’t stay in this perfect replica form very long. Soon man was striving to carve out the ideal form, exaggerating its musculature into something that is physically impossible for us to achieve. Another aspect would be the development of the perfect set of proportions. According to the text Greek artists strived for “canon” a set of rules determining physical proportions. It didn’t only apply to the human body but to everything in nature having to do with symmetry.

Idealism is the unrealistic belief in or pursuit of perfection. This could be misconstrued as a bad thing. In art, pursuit of perfection could lead to inspiration. Nothing is perfect, and nothing ever will be, it is all open to interpretation. I don’t believe there is anything wrong with striving to meet a standard that fits into the interpretation of perfection for that time period.

It’s easy to say that we have the same warped set of ideals they did. We value altered versions of human beings which we consider to be beautiful. However they are unattainable because they do not exist. Those who fall prey to thinking they need to strive for an unattainable goal will find out the hard way that this is not possible.

I do believe that we were influenced by the Greeks to achieve perfection. And there is nothing wrong with wanting that. Whether it is simply human nature or not is another question.  Be sure that your aspirations are grounded in reality, but don’t tie yourself down.

Answer 2

The changing portrayal of the human body in Ancient Greece meant that the culture wasn’t satisfied with what they have made out to be the perfect male form. They made statues of the human body so perfect; Kritios Boy; that they had to start exaggerating the realism of the human body. Polyclitus, a Greek sculptor in bronze made sculptors of athletes. As said in the video, the human body was split into four quarters, upper right/left and lower right/left. The human body was sculpted as if it looked like it was moving, or alive. Exaggeration was put into the muscles and the length of the body parts. Muscles being unrealistic compared to the human body and legs being the same length of the upper body made this man into the “perfect male.” It was unachievable for man which is why people were so interested in the art. Kritios Boy was easy to achieve through the people, which meant people were uninterested in the art.  Nevertheless, without Kritios Boy the art of exaggeration through Greek culture might’ve never been touched.

The values we see are perfection and probably self-fulfillment/self-confidence. Perfection does not exist anywhere on this Earth but the fulfillment and confidence people have with their own body is through their own interpretation of what perfection really is.

Greeks have influenced our society dramatically today. It’s effect can be positive to a certain point but after crossing that line it may be a little too extreme. It doesn’t help with the amount of advertisements, magazines, and even TV shows portraying the “perfect body” for both male and female are seen everywhere. Some people go to the extreme to perfect their body from breast implants to plastic surgeries. Others take a different approach, some people spend hours at the gym and even take supplements to perfect their own definition of “perfect.” Since there is no “perfect” people just want more and more, more muscles, more breast implants, etc. 

Fiero, Gloria K. Landmarks in Humanities. London: Laurence King Publishing Ltd., 2013.

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1. Exploration Assignment (350 words minimum with references)

 

For the first exploration assignment I would like you to find a website devoted to some aspect of Greek drama. This can be about a play, or a description of one of the theatrical traditions such as Greek Tragedy or Comedy. I will even throw it open and allow an exploration of Greek religious ritual traditions because they are also relevant.  You can choose a You Tube video or podcast for this assignment as well as an essay from a scholarly database.  Make sure that your review includes a (short) summary, and a critical analysis of the site itself.  Don't use commercial or children's websites for this, make them scholarly. Make your assignment 350 words minimum.  AND THEN, provide a critique of a classmates' offering.

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