HUMN 303 Week 4 Literary Movements
University:
Chamberlain University
HUMN 303 Week 4 Literary Movements
Paper Instructions
Discussion
Required Resources
Read/review the following resources for this activity;
- Textbook Chapter 7, 8
- Lesson
- Minimum of 1 scholarly source (in addition to the textbook – for historical/political influences)
Initial Post Instructions
Choose one of the literary movements that you read about this week and at least one work from that movement. Movements, authors, and famous works are discussed in the lesson as well. You do not have to choose authors or works discussed in the lesson, but you may. For your initial post, address one of the following;
Option 1
Examine the literary movement and specific work in relation to historical and political influences of the movement. Include a one paragraph summary of the plot before moving on to the examination of the work in relation to the movement.
Option 2
Examine a specific artwork influenced by a literary work and how the artist captured the subject or story. Discuss how the art piece reflects themes that defined the literary movement. Here are a few examples, but you are not restricted to this list;
- Asher B. Durand’s Thanatopsis (influenced by William Cullen Bryant’s “Thanatopsis”)
- John William Waterhouse’s The Lady of Shalott (influenced by Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s “The Lady of Shalott”)
- Sir John Everett Millais’s Ophelia (influenced by Shakespeare’s Ophelia from Hamlet)
- Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s Apollo and Daphne or The Rape of Prosperina (influenced by ancient myths)
- Ancient Greek vase painting (influenced by various ancient myths)
Follow-Up Post Instructions
Respond to at least one peer. Respond to one peer who chose an option different from yours. Further the dialogue by providing more information and clarification.
Writing Requirements
- Minimum of 2 posts (1 initial & 1 follow-up)
- Minimum of 2 sources cited (assigned readings/online lessons and an outside source)
- APA format for in-text citations and list of references
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Sample Answer
Option 2
For this week’s discussion, I select the second option. I considered a certain piece of art that influenced an artist who refined the narrative. William Cullen Bryant developed his poem, “Thanatopsis” which would later influence the artistic work by Asher B. Durand’s Thanatopsis; Landscape-Scene painting. Asher Brown Durand uses image, metaphor, and symbol to demonstrate the subject in the painting.
Asher B. Durand’s Landscape Painting
William Bryant wrote his poem, Thanatopsis, during the Romanticism period based on the artwork’s advice to his audience, especially on how to view death. The author took the title of his poem from the Greek words “Thanatos” implying death, and “opsis” meaning sight or view of death. Bryant shows a strong link between nature and how people use it to cope (Beebe, 2018). The rest of the poem reminds people that their existence on earth is temporary and short. We should interact with other natural elements and be like them.
The poem is categorical that natural elements like hills, trees, flowers, and other plants, rivers, and meadows can be decorations on our graves when we die. However, we should still enjoy them while we are alive. The poet implores people to enjoy and appreciate life instead of the death anxiety. We should live life to the fullest (Bryant, 1914). The poem shows that death is a natural process by conjuring an image of a person curled under a blanket, peacefully readying themselves for sleep.
The poem explores the circular nature of life that Durand’s artwork, Landscape, reflects and emphasizes. For instance, the poem asserts that “The gravestones before the present funeral are ancient and crumbling, and the farmer starts his day as the sun rises.” Durand completed his painting after the passing of his mentor. He paints an expansive horizon, a beautiful river as it meanders into the sea, a castle in the mountains, a church, old trees, and a forest (Durand, 1850). Under the trees in the forest, he depicts a funeral scene, probably symbolizing the death of his mentor. The large forest trees as significant as the poem speak of humans as food for trees and other plants.
The painting, like the poem, depicts life as circular and never-ending. The sun rises as the old and broken gravestones impose themselves on the present funeral as the farmer begins his day. This endless circle of nature allows people to cope and find comfort and fun as they live and enjoy (Martin et al., 2018). The painting is expansive and demonstrates hope that despite death and anxiety on earth, people should enjoy the limited time and interact with nature most enjoyably.
References
- Beebe, A. (2018). “Only Surpassed by the Light of Revelation” Asher Brown Durand’s Thanatopsis. Religion and the Arts, 22(1-2) 79-94. https //brill.com/view/journals/rart/22/1-2/article-p79_6.xml
- Bryant, W. C. (1914). Thanatopsis, Sella, and other poems. Macmillan Company. Durand, A. B. (1850) Landscape—Scene from “Thanatopsis.” American The Metropolitan Museum of Art. https //www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/10793
- Martin, F., & Jacobus, L. (2018). The humanities through the arts. New York McGraw-Hill
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