Hum 211 - Humanities

Julija Nikolova

Hum 211

October 11, 2015

1. The term Gothic was first mentioned to a people from Germany, the Goths. But later on it got it`s architectural meaning form the Italian “gotico”, which was translating like barbaric  and  “rough” denoting to the architectural type, which was conflicting of the classical architecture. This art was considered inferior, just as the Romans had held themselves superior to the barbarians. In the 18th century the term "Gothic" preseted  a genre of literature that had details  of horror. In the late 20th century it described as a style characterized by heavy eyeliner and all-black clothing.
2. In that time the cathedrals were the outstanding displays for the communities. It wasn’t easy to create building that time as its easy now.  Their tall construction proudly represent the physical effort of the constructor’s, their religion faith  and the intellectual qualities of the people that create them. I believe that back in the day the cathedrals were  a very expensive and deliberate  process and it was big  respect to have a cathedral in the town.  It provided a place  for all the Christians to go and in present days.
3. The meaning of the term is a very specific form of buttressing which was mostly associated with the Gothic architecture. The purpose it has it to resist the horizontal forces that are pushing the walls outwards by directing them to the ground.
4. The flexible interior  is one of the reasons that the arches are pointed not rounded. Also it will allow longer distance between the columns. Another reason is that those arches plus the vaulted ceilings, flying buttresses and stained glass transformed the whole look of the churches, the walls weren`t carrying the weight anymore and they started to build windows on the walls and using the sun as a light in the churches I also will include that the pointed arches are impressing feeling that you are closer to God.
5. The patron of the liberal arts and, therefore, important to Gothic architecture was the Virgin Mary. The trivium, concern "the power of language," referred to the study of grammar, rhetoric, and logic (dialectic). The quadrivium, on the other hand, which referred to the study of arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, and music, concerned "the secrets of nature."
6. Significant development was the addition of the third part above the other two knows as triplum from which the term treble is derived. This step was taken by Perotin who was active in Paris in the late twelfth and probably early thirteenth centuries . he moved away from polyphonic practices toward an art based on stricter melodic control. This components were known as motets.  They added multiple vocal parts, made the composition more complex and these additional vocal parts sounded as  short repeating pattern.
7. The meaning of the word “scholasticism” is based on the word “scholasticus” (Latin) and is translated “which belongs to the school”. Dualism is the idea or belief that everything has two opposite parts or principles. Example :

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           "The key to wisdom is this --
        constant and frequent questioning ...
         for by doubting we are led to questi and
       by questioning we arrive at the truth “

Peter Abelard,
(1099-1142)