One of the questions that has most bothered me in my reflections on culture is the question of kitsch. Just what is it? When did it begin? And why?
Roger ScrutonRead
18th century opera is packed with emotion, but contains not a trace of kitsch. Only with the 'thees' and 'thous' of Victorian poetry does the disease begin to grow in our poetic tradition.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Scruton argues that 18th-century opera expresses deep emotions without resorting to superficiality, a contrast to Victorian poetry's more pretentious tone.
In this quote, Roger Scruton reflects on the emotional depth found in 18th-century opera, suggesting that such works convey genuine feeling without the insincerity often associated with kitsch. He critiques Victorian poetry for incorporating archaic language that can detract from the authenticity of expression, indicating a decline in poetic quality as it moves away from the raw emotion found in earlier forms of art.
Themes
EmotionArtOperaPoetryAuthenticityKitsch
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about the evolution of art, this quote highlights the unique emotional expression of 18th-century opera.
More from Roger Scruton
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For two centuries the English countryside has been an icon of national identity and the loved reminder of our island home. Yet the government is bent on littering the hills with wind turbines and the valleys with high speed railways.
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You cannot own a symphony or a novel in the way you can own a Damien Hirst. As a result there are far fewer fake symphonies or fake novels than there are fake works of visual art.
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For many artists and critics, beauty is a discredited idea. It denotes the saccharine sylvan scenes and cheesy melodies that appealed to Granny.
Roger ScrutonRead
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