Satire, Stain Glass And The Hagia Sophia - 1303 Words

Throughout the course of the class, we have examined multiple forms of art across the span of multiple centuries. Three pieces I believe have influence the way western culture has evolved today is satire, stain glass and the Hagia Sophia. These pieces have changed the way society has and is changing. Though I did not find the Forum of Trajan, the Magnus Liber Organi, and the Sistine Chapel as important as the aforementioned, they have expanded my appreciation and understanding of western art. The first piece of art I consider important is not a piece within itself. I would say the art of satire is very important to western culture. The goal of satire was to criticize society in a humorous way that encourages the improvement of said society. The satirists had hopes that this would correct social evils by laughing at them. For example in Johnathan Swift’s, Gulliver’s Travels, uses different encounters to emphasize political corruption and mock the vices of the humans in his novel. This piece has one example of the most common vices found in humans; bickering, gluttony and avarice. Swift wanted to show that humans were at fault for their cruelty and failures because they were given reason. This style is unique because many of the pieces were absurd in the suggestions. The pieces would suggest things such as eating children (A Modest Proposal), mock social climbers and degenerate nobles (Marriage a la Mode). Satire is significant to our cultural history becau se it was a