<
>
Download

Bericht
Literaturwissenschaft

Shanghai University

2012

Stella L. ©
1.70

0.48 Mb
sternsternstern_0.25stern_0.3stern_0.3
ID# 16198







Reading Report on Literature and Form


The philosophical foundations of Aestheticism were formulated in the eighteenth century by Immauel Kant who secured the autonomy of aesthetic judgement from considerations of utility and morality.The Critique of Judgement is a philosophical work which lays the foundation of aesthetics.

By saying “the beautiful is that which apart from concepts is represented as the object of a universal satisfaction”,Kant establishes that something is beautiful is a claim that it possesses the "form of finality" - that is, that it appears to have been designed with a purpose, even though it does not have any apparent practical function.

Walter Pater’s play of reflection indeed enjoys a large freedom from the moral and utilitarian, even if in the end he feels obliged to draw a moral lesson from art, in the Epicurean homily that concludes TheRenaissance.  Making his own Théophile Gautier’s mantra, ‛art for art’s sake,’ Pater found himself free to let works of art speak to him, according to the laws of their own being – or rather, according to the laws of aesthetic experience.

This brief 'Conclusion' to TheRenaissance mainly talks about moments. It asserts that our lives are in perpetual motion. And individual impressions, reduced experience, are infinitely divisible as they are limited by divisible time.

In other words, they consist of numerous moments. However, these moments are inherently unstable, flickering and inconstant. Therefore, all that is actual in experience is a single moment, in which there is a “continual vanishing away, that strange, perpetual weaving and unweaving of ourselves".

It is believed that every moment is different with some experience, and the experience is for that moment only. Pater suggested,Not the fruit of experience, but the experience itself, is the end. “, indicating that art was not meant to instruct and should not concern itself with social, moral, or political guidance.

The aesthetic fact is altogether completed in the expressive elaboration or impressions. And anything external is no longer a work of art.

When it comes to the theme or content, Benedetto Croce defends the artists that expression is free inspiration and the content of art cannot be selected as the artist cannot make an arbitrary choice and act in opposition to his inspiration. Therefore, the theme or content cannot be practically or morally charged with epithets of praise or blame.

Pater also talks about life. “To burn always with this hard, gemlike flame, to maintain this ecstasy, is success in life.” is later adapted by Oscar Wilde in The Picture of Dorian Gray, "Life
is a moment, there is no after.

So make it burn always, with the hottest
flame." Wilde here views life as one moment only while Pater thinks life consists of countless moments. However, Pater’s attitude towards life is quite similar to Wilde’s.

It is suggested that we should embrace every single moment and grasp the experience it brings to us. One shall not discriminate on any moment for there is always something worth appreciation in it. In that way, to form habits means failure on our part, for habit connotes the stereotypical and further prevents us from cherishing every moment.

And the poetic passion, the desire of beauty and the love of art for the art’s sake help people most in achieving quickened sense of life, ecstasy and various forms of enthusiastic activity. Therefore, art which provides people with nothing but the highest quality to our moments as they pass, should be cherished instead of being accused in terms of utility or morality.

The Aesthetic by Benedetto Aesthetics further differentiate aesthetics from science by using the term of intuitive knowledge. Aesthetic activities defined as intuitive activities are thus different from science which requires logic knowledge.

This chapter constantly reminds me of The Picture of Dorian Gray, a novel written by Oscar Wilde. That book was called by some critics and readers alike as an immoral story.

However, I do find it thrilling, fascinating and certainly recommendable. The story granted me with a lot of perfect moments. Wilde, being an advocate of Aestheticism, was put into jail for that master piece, at least to some extent. But I do believe Aestheticism can perfectly justify that novel.

Also, as far as I am concerned, art for art’s sake, allows artists to produce more works of high quality.


| | | | |
Tausche dein Hausarbeiten