Beauty in HP (WAS: THEORY: Hogwarts curriculum)

[arrowsmithbt]

No: HPFGUIDX 112613

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "cubfanbudwoman" <susiequsie23 at s...> 
wrote:
Lotsa snips
> Kneasy wrote:
> Oh - has anyone come across anything described as 'beautiful' in the
> books? Can't recall it myself. A society with no concept of beauty -
> how primitive can you get?
> 
> It's a very pragmatic society, probably deliberately so, seemingly
> concerned with the business of everyday affairs, totally uninterested
> in what might loosely be described as cultural matters.<<<
> 
> 
> SSSusan again:
> So hopefully that helps explain my take on the search for a 
> reference to Beauty in the books.  I'll grant Potioncat's point that 
> we get Harry's perspective, primarily, so it could be that it's at 
> Hogwarts, fully established in the curriculum, along w/ routine 
> discussions of morality & ethics but that it's simply not noted by 
> our Harry.  After all, we don't hear about brushing teeth or taking 
> showers, either, and presumably that's happening. :-)  In this case, 
> though, as opposed to the tooth-brushing, I think these "non-
> pragmatic" parts of education just really AREN'T dealt with much at 
> Hogwarts.  Being a liberal arts kinda gal, I think that's a bit sad. 
> 

Yup; you've got my intended meaning.
Many everyday things can be described as beautiful (though not many
really justify he adjective) but what I'm on about is the study and 
appreciation of beauty, particularly in man-made (cultural) items - 
aesthetics, in essence.

There are no beautiful paintings, statues, prose, poetry, buildings - in 
fact no concept or even acknowledgement of even its lesser forms - 
design, style, fashion (except Ron's hatred of his dress robes) - nothing
that indicates that the WW has any taste at all. 
They're a bunch of barbarians.

Kneasy