READING AND INTERPRETATION EXERCISE

Reading and Interpretation Exercise

Musee des Beaux Art

Pgs-36

Sofia Goeckeritz

1.      Subject:  ‘The Old Masters’ the subject is in second line of poem. Words in ‘incorrect order’

2.      Auden argument is “the old masters were never wrong about suffering.”

3.      He starts out with a general statement and moves into more specifics until he starts describing the picture.

4.      Yes, he provides evidence through his poem because he is relating it directly to the picture.

5.      The title has something to do with museum of the arts. Yes some words are in English ‘arts’.

6.      They are probably the elders of the society it is capitalized because he is referring to a group of named artist: Micheal Angelo, Rambrant, and Divinci.

7.      He starts with a general statement saying that ‘the old masters were never wrong about suffering.’ He moves through the poem by gradually getting more specific about the picture.

8.      It is the painting in the museum that Auden is looking at.

9.      I agree with Audens thesis of people turning away when they are suffering. For example I have a friend that got into a car accident. It was a big accident his car rolled like three times. No one called the police because they saw someone suffering and turned away expecting someone else to do it. He ended up calling the police himself.

10.  Historically, Auden was alive during the world wars and he probably experienced many people turn their heads when others were suffering because they didn’t want to go through the pain that others were going through.

11.  Auden living in the 1930’s affected his views about human suffering drastically. He probably saw war on a daily basis and saw many people ignore the suffering of others.

12.  The Old Masters were more knowledgeable about human suffering because they are artist and they are more emotionally connected to others.

13.  The Old Masters were viewed highly in their society.

14.  This is the case because they related to the peoples sufferings and did not just turn their heads.

15.  Auden didn’t have a variety of painter’s paintings and viewpoints. So that definitely affected how he sees things.

16.  He uses examples of the painting to show human suffering such as the plough man turned his head away from the drowning man.

17.  The Old Masters and Auden have similar views because they are all artists and are all very emotional people. Also they weren’t a part of their society because they were different and suffering.

18.  If they were praised for their work and were popular celebrities. Then they would not know of the pain and suffering of others.

19.  One painting is worth a thousand words. I can read paintings based on the actions of people and their facial expressions along with where it is located.

20.  I would expect to see Icarus falling from the sky.

21.  I see a beautiful landscape of a shore with 2 people, a plough man and a Sheppard; there are also ships in the sea.

22.  I would say that the sun definitely dominates the picture because it is so bright and big which attracts my eye towards it. That is the sun which Icarus flew to close to so the wax on his wings melted. My eyes are also attracted to the plough man because he is the biggest person in the picture and he has no idea what’s going on.

23.  Icarus is in the water drowning. He is so small because no one cares that he is falling into the sea. The people in the painting have no idea that Icarus is drowning.

24.  The people in the painting compare perfectly with Auden’s theory of people turning away when someone is suffering. Auden’s interpretation of this painting is great.

25.  Historically Brueghel based his painting on a myth. Culturally Brueghel is trying to portray that the people don’t want anything to do with Icarus’ suffering.

26.  I am not sure if Brueghel’s interpretation is correct because I have to read the myth of Icarus first.

27.  I don’t see Icarus’ father anywhere and he is a big part of the myth. Also the people are not looking at Icarus in amazement.

28.  I believe the people during Ovids time in the 1^st century b.c.e were under the control of the Roman Empire. Ovid was a Roman poet and he was very educated.

29.  I like how Auden made this story into a poem where it was more interesting for me to read.

30.  I feel that Auden has a great part about the Old Masters and how they know the most about peoples suffering. I was confused about the story of Icarus, and who the Old Masters were at first then throughout my research I learned who they were.

31.  I would talk to Auden more about what he feels about people suffering. I want to know his thoughts about it.

32.  I believe that genuine good people will never turn away when people are suffering. In my religion I am taught to help people when they are suffering. But Auden is saying that we turn away when that happens.