Concentrating on the conflicts and struggles of people through the study of art and literature, we get to see a deeper side than we might through history books. That's part of the beauty of these forms. They are mediums of personal expression that show the flawed, truly human side to those who came before us. We can understand how and why they formed the opinions they did and how they saw each other.
Seeing this also creates a deeper understanding in one's own ideals and beliefs, both in regards to the subject and the form in which they are expressed. Usually I am not a strong advocate of the belief "Art for Art's sake". I have always felt that the need of expression, comes from some place whether or not you understand what that place is. But as I dive deeper into the history of art and the society surrounding it I see the criticism of one artist by another or by the standing propriety of the time that so often seems unnecessary. Christina Rossetti's "In An Artist's Studio" for example. While I stand by her argument for the equal treatment and acceptance of women, it makes me reconsider the idea of art for art's sake. Sometimes we want to push the limits and challenge the status quo, the idea of beauty, and the ways of the world. And sometimes, I think that we just want to see something that's pretty and pure and the fabric of our imagination. But above all, either one is the perfect expression as it was meant to be. Sometimes the act is reason enough.
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