Humanities

Humanities

Humanities

The Importance of Humanities

There is a significant importance to the study of humanities. When I was first told that I had to sign up for a Humanities class, I wondered why an accounting degree would require such a class. At the time I did not feel a Humanities class would benefit me; however, within the first week, I began to think differently. It was very interesting. I saw that the importance of studying Humanities lay in the history of the works completed. Within that history is valuable information that we need for the future. It is said that history repeats itself, and throughout the book, I could see this. Humanities have taught me how our culture has developed as well.

The first example of how our culture has developed would be the printing press. Printing had been invented in the early fifteenth century, and once invented, printing spread around the world. Printing started in the West, but spread to Europe quickly. With the printing press, the study of learning and technology was able to grow exponentially. It is said that the Protestant Reformation benefited much from the printing press. It was interesting for me to learn of the printing presses for several reasons. I think that in most cases, people do not connect the beginning to what is happening today. In reading about the printing presses, I was interested to learn how many books had been published-between six and nine thousand books. The printing press went a long way to spread learning, and now we publish thousands of books per day and even the poor can find access to used books.

Literature is another example to how our culture has developed today. Just take a look at Shakespeare, Sir Thomas More, and Erasmus. These authors have written works that have been studied for years. Once printing became popular, these great writers were able to have their works printed and distributed to the population. Shakespeare’s plays are studied even today for their carefully constructed plots and the vivid characters. His plays are well known. Most people know of Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, and Macbeth. Shakespeare wrote several types of plays. Listed above are the dramas. He also wrote historical subjects such as Julius Caesar and comedies such as Twelfth Night. These plays are reenacted and re-read often today and help us to understand our culture’s history.

Science, music, and religion of the past have also had an impact on our culture. These subjects were taught in our Humanities class as well. We learned of Galileo and the progress he made to the scientific world. He was the founder of physics, and he also proved Copernicus right in that the universe is in a constant state of change by looking through his telescope. In music, Beethoven was another artist who impacts our culture even today. I have never played an instrument in my life nor seen a musical concert, and yet, I know Beethoven is known for his musical pieces. Pieces such as Pastoral, Eroica, and Fidelio are practiced today and are some of the most beautiful pieces that you can hear if played correctly. Going back in time, the Reformation was a turbulent time for the Catholic Church and has influenced the way religion is seen today. While much has changed in the way religion is seen and practiced today, there are similarities to what happened in the fifteen hundreds and what happens today. There is constant controversy with the church.

The importance of studying Humanities is in all of the information that the Humanities provides about where our culture comes from and how it began. In facets such as printing and technology, you had the printing press. The printing press led to the spread of literature where great authors and playwrights like Shakespeare were able to educate the public with their stories. Humanities tells us about the Sciences; where ideas came from, how they were proven, and how our culture came to be what it is by way of what others discovered. Music and religion are also important to our culture. Music inspires, and