Classical Essence: Part 1

What does “Classical” mean and why is it important?

By Dr. Brandolyn Thran, School Leader, Nevada Classical Academy Elko

Like many words in the English language, if ten people were asked what the word ‘classical’ meant, there would be twelve different answers. In my experience, stopping to ponder a word always leads to discovery and an expansion of my mind, so let’s dive in! 

The complexity of the English language is a function of many variables, including that English contains words derived from Latin, among many other languages with cultural influences.  ‘Classical’ originated in the 17th Century from the Latin word classicus, meaning “the highest class, of the first order” (Oxford English Dictionary).  As the word came into use in English, its definition was updated to “of the first class; of the highest rank, or importance; approved as a model; standard; leading.”  The spelling was also updated, adding the suffix (-al), which means “of, like, or pertaining to” which led to a further expansion to “of the standard Greek and Latin writers; belonging to the literature or art of Greek and Roman antiquity [period before the Middle Ages (approximately 5th to 15th Centuries)”. Thus, beginning the use of the word ‘classical’ to describe things like art, music, and literature, that are similar to, or characteristic, of creations from long ago.  

Exploring this definition requires us to reflect on  how things were  long ago and how they are different from what we experience today.  One aspect to consider is the pace of life and its impact on products.  Aristotle was not limited to 280 characters and Mozart was not limited by shortened attention spans.  As the world has modernized, time scales have been compressed, and what used to take months, now takes seconds.  This time-compression is impacting humans in ways that we are just beginning to understand.  From a neurological perspective, humans have not changed as fast as the world around us.  Therefore, rooted in this idea of how time has changed – and perhaps moving towards reversing the compression- is why exposure to the classics is important for modern humans.  

The large and complex brain that rests on our shoulders is what separates us from all the other animal species in the Animal Kingdom.  Our highly developed and enlarged frontal cortex allows us to process information, create, and respond to our environment, not simply react. This big brain of ours is also what allows us to cultivate a cohesive internal relationship between our spirit (soul), mind, and body.  

It is in this cultivation of our best selves that exposure to classical literature, music, and art makes sense, since they are works that are of the highest class, by definition.  In addition to reading self-help books full of quick fixes, consider spending the rest of your lifetime working through philosophy by great Greek and Roman authors who observed and revealed the human condition that is still present today.  In addition to listening to songs with lyrics, begin investigating music that does not force the story by words but instead evokes your imagination.  In addition to perusing social media, consider the exploration of fine art museums to begin to appreciate how artists have captured civilized humanity and the perfection of nature.  It is through the deep and thoughtful exploration of the classics that we discover what is good, what is true, and what is beautiful.  

Part 2 of this Classical Essence series will investigate what is the good, the true, and the beautiful.

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