DISCUSS the Theories

Context

You have read four theories of art’s purpose:

Wordsworth’s and Coleridge’s romantic theories: to bring mankind together, to convey emotion, and to reintroduce a sense of wonder.
The industrial writers’ endeavor to lift the veil and lead the way to social justice.
The realist’s work toward helping readers learn to value the flawed and ordinary-looking people with whom they interact every day.
Wilde’s theory of art as a way to transcend nature’s and human’s redundancy and incompleteness.
Instructions

Post a well-developed response to the questions below. You should adequately explain your ideas.

With which theories do you agree the most? Why? With which theories or aspects do you disagree? Why?
What do you think the form and purpose of art should be? (The answer doesn’t have to be one of the theories we’ve looked at so far. In addition, this question does not mean to imply that art should have only one purpose. Think about today and what we need today in our art. What do you think that is? )
Response to Peers

Read through some of the responses. Engage in a couple of meaningful conversations about what you think. Respond thoughtfully. Consider what you learned from the response. Consider

How you agree and disagree with the ideas
What you can add to their interpretation
How their post helped you see the text and our own time in a new way

Peers posts:
1. First peer
With which theories do you agree the most? Why? With which theories or aspects do you disagree? Why?

The theories I agree with the most are Wordsworth’s and Coleridge’s romantic theories and Wilde’s theory on art. I agree most with Wordsworth’s and Coleridge’s theories on romanticism because I feel the writings are still relevant and applicable today. I personally feel that while there are obvious benefits from the Enlightenment and industrialization (no matter what era), these eras and renovations have caused negative effects for humans, such as lack of wonder, lack of imagination, maintenance of trivial things (modern-day example: social media), and the use of gross and violent stimulants (modern-day: drug, phone, sugar addictions). Ultimately, Coleridge’s and Wordsworth’s rejection of technology and industrialization within society aligns with its negative effects, which are even more prevalent modern day. I agree with Wilde’s theory on art because each doctrine is well explained and related to the new aesthetic. Personally my first impression of the Aesthetic Movement, I did not agree with. However, Wilde’s doctrines and his final revelation really put into perspective for me. Wilde writes:

“The final revelation is that Lying, the telling of beautiful untrue things, is the proper aim of Art. But of this I think I have spoken at sufficient length. And now let us go out on the terrace, where ‘droops the milk-white peacock like a ghost,’ while the evening star ‘washes the dusk with silver’”

It’s as if the act of embellishing truly represents the level of its beauty, which makes it art. This brings me to realism and the theories we read about. I did agree with these as well. More so I agreed with Eliot’s writings on how truthfulness is the most important aspect of realism. For me, I feel I appreciate art that emphasizes ugliness as well because it a sense that is beautiful because it’s the truth. I personally feel realism and the new aesthetic can relate, it just all depends on your opinion and perception of beauty.

Lastly, of course, I agree with the industrial workers on working on social justice issues. I think their techniques on using narratives such as autobiographies (Alton Locke) and perspectives of young children working hard in laborious conditions, show the need for change.

What do you think the form and purpose of art should be? (The answer doesn’t have to be one of the theories we’ve looked at so far. In addition, this question does not mean to imply that art should have only one purpose. Think about today and what we need today in our art. What do you think that is? )

I personally feel the purpose of art is truth and honesty. I think that just because art has truth and honesty doesn’t mean it can’t be beautiful. That is why I think realism and the new aesthetic in a sense are both correct because it just depends on one’s perception of beauty. In today’s world, I think that the most critical thing that art needs is honesty, to contradict the lack of individuality and superficiality taking place in modern society.

Second peer:

1. The theories that I agree with the most would be Wadsworth’s and Coleridge’s romantic theories because I believe that if we are able to understand each other through sympathy, then we’ll be better of in making choices for the future. Having sympathy allows us to make decisions with everyone’s emotions/thoughts taken into consideration, and if someone agrees with another person, they are less likely to hurt that person. Even if the majority of the people were to vote for the opposing option, the people shouldn’t get mad because their option was considered. At least this is how I view Wadsworth’s and Coleridge’s romantic theories as. I also agree with the industrial writers’ endeavor to lift the veil and lead the way to social justice because through their help with exposing the truth about harsh topics, it has allowed the world to take action. They served as a catalyst to make change in the world, which is why I agree with what they are doing. For example, like Trollope and her novel about child labor. Authors like her and many more contributed to the same cause-to get the truth to the public and by doing so they paved the way for future generations to make changes to the world. The last theory I agree with is the realist’s work toward helping readers learn to value the flawed and ordinary-looking people with whom they interact every day because I am the type of person to appreciate anyone and everything. I don’t like hearing someone say that they are not wanted simply because of their looks or how they act. I only judge people once I get to know them better and find out about their personality. I believe that everyone is special and each have different talents that someone else might not have, which makes them unique. I don’t really disagree with Wilde’s theory, it’s just that I don’t quite fully understand it haha.

2. I think the purpose of art should be to be able to freely express how one feels. I feel like it is also a way to protest quietly because your art would be speaking for itself depending on the techniques used and even the color of paint used in the piece. The form of art isn’t limited to just painting though, and that’s something that I love. Writing, making music, and anything that allows the creation of emotion in a person is what I believe the form of art really is and the purpose of art-to create emotion.