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Defining the Arts in Ancient Greece

 

            In ancient Greece, many of the most important works in history were created.
             with these works of writing and art, terms and concepts to define these works were established. Concepts such as arete, ananke, hamartia, kalokagathia, and physis were terms that could define these new contributions to Greece. In literary works such as "The Odyssey", "Allegory of the Cave" and "Antigone", and in such forms as "Sculptures", or the Parthenon, we are able to see these how the Greeks developed these new concept words. .
             Odysseus' will to overcome all his obstacles shows arete. Arete is a concept that the Greek peopley embraced. At first, arete meant excellence in war but later it came to represent overall excellence of a person; good values and virtues. In "The Odyssey", a man encounters many battles and obstacles throughout the his life, and in the first lines of the story, we are given the knowledge that main character is a man of great importance and excellence. "Tell me, Muse, the story of that resourceful man." These are the first lines from the story, which serve as a way to introduce what is ahead. As seen, the man is already called resourceful, showing that the man displays qualities of arete.
             In the "Allegory of the Cave" the concept os ananke is explored. Ananke is fate, the definition of our destiny, or something that sums up our main purpose for being. Plato's, "Allegory of the Cave" is about three prisoners in a cave who are forced to face the walls. The only images they have, other than the walls, are the shadows cast from the fire abalze behind them. When they are finally able to see the sun it becomes a source of purpose for them, as if it is their fate. This relates to the concept of ananke.
             In the tragedy of "Antigone" the concept of humartia is manifested. Humartia meant an error, an unintentional sin or a tragic fault - something that did not go as planned. In this tragedy, we see a family that is involved with the law of the state, a uncle that arrests his niece.


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