Wednesday Wisdom

WHO?

Sir Walter Scott was born in Edinburg Scotland in 1771, he attended The University of Edinburg receiving a degree in law but soon after pivoted to writing. Scott is often credited with inventing the historical novel, blending fictional characters with real historical events and figures. His works popularized Scottish culture and history, contributing significantly to the Romantic movement. The Romantic movement, which flourished in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, was an artistic, literary, and philosophical movement that emphasized emotion, individualism, and the glorification of nature. It emerged as a reaction against the Enlightenment's emphasis on reason, order, and scientific rationality.

Sir Walter Scott was knighted on April 28, 1820. This honor was bestowed upon him by King George IV. The knighthood was a recognition of Scott's significant contributions to literature and his influence in promoting Scottish culture and history through his writings.

What he produced

Sir Walter Scott produced the book “Waverly “in 1814 which tells the tale of a man caught up in the Jacobite Highlanders and their clash against the British Government. In 1817 he published “Rob Roy” which was a story about Scottish uprising with real life outlaw Rob Roy Mcgregor. In 1819 he produced his masterpiece novel “Ivanhoe”, the story follows the adventures of Wilfred of Ivanhoe, a disinherited knight, as he returns from the Crusades to reclaim his honor and love, Rowena in 12th century England. The novel explores themes of chivalry, justice, and the tensions between the Norman rulers and their Saxon subjects, featuring iconic characters like Robin Hood and King Richard the Lionheart.

Scott was also famous for his long form poetry written in rhymed couplets with vivid descriptions of landscapes and events. He is most notably known for "The Lady of the Lake" which is a narrative poem set in the Scottish Highlands, which follows the adventures of the chieftain Roderick Dhu and the exiled James Fitz-James, who falls in love with the maiden Ellen Douglas. Before going to battle, Fitz-James hears Ellen’s prayers, her voice and her piety, a source of comfort before he enters conflict. The stanza of Ellen goes;

Ave Maria! maiden mild! Listen to a maiden's prayer! Thou canst hear though from the wild, Thou canst save amid despair. Safe may we sleep beneath thy care, Though banished, outcast and reviled – Maiden! hear a maiden's prayer; Mother, hear a suppliant child! Ave Maria!

Ave Maria! undefiled! The flinty couch we now must share Shall seem with down of eider piled, If thy protection hover there. The murky cavern's heavy air Shall breathe of balm if thou hast smiled; Then, Maiden! hear a maiden's prayer, Mother, list a suppliant child! Ave Maria!

Ave Maria! stainless styled! Foul demons of the earth and air, From this their wonted haunt exiled, Shall flee before thy presence fair. We bow us to our lot of care, Beneath thy guidance reconciled: Hear for a maid a maiden's prayer, And for a father hear a child! Ave Maria!

Franz Schubert (1797–1828) was an Austrian composer widely recognized for his contributions to the classical music symphonies, chamber music, and piano music. He is considered one of the greatest composers in the Western classical tradition although he only lived for 31 years. Some of Schubert's most famous works include his "Symphony No. 8 in B minor," commonly known as the "Unfinished Symphony," and his "Symphony No. 9 in C major," also known as the "Great" or "C Major" Symphony.

From 1825 till 1828, Shubert worked on his composition Opus (work) 52. His work was inspired by Scott’s epic poem "The Lady of the Lake." and is comprised of seven songs. One of the songs Shubert composed was "Ellens dritter Gesang" (Ellen's Third Song), which is in German and depicts Ellen praying the “Hail Mary” which in Latin is “Ave Maria”.

In the late 18th or early 19th century, perhaps divinely inspired, the lyrical prayer of Hail Mary was paired with Shubert’s melody by the Catholic church.

2024 why do we care?

The melody Schubert composed for "Ave Maria" has become iconic, seminal and is frequently performed in various settings, including religious services, concerts, and weddings. Its serene and contemplative sound has made it a beloved piece in the classical music repertoire and churches worldwide. Paired with sacred Latin lyrics, the aesthetics of the song are almost ethereal, as if divinely influenced and timeless.

“Ave Maria” is a powerful expression of faith, hope and guidance, beautifully combining poetry, music and sacred lyrics.

And now you know...

Thanks, Dad, for the gift of curiosity!

Philosophy is the art of thinking, the building block of progress that shapes critical thinking across economics, ethics, religion, and science.

METAPHYSICS: Literally, the term metaphysics means ‘beyond the physical.’ Typically, this is the branch that most people think of when they picture philosophy. In metaphysics, the goal is to answer the what and how questions in life. Who are we, and what are time and space?

LOGIC: The study of reasoning. Much like metaphysics, understanding logic helps to understand and appreciate how we perceive the rest of our world. More than that, it provides a foundation for which to build and interpret arguments and analyses.

ETHICS: The study of morality, right and wrong, good and evil. Ethics tackles difficult conversations by adding weight to actions and decisions. Politics takes ethics to a larger scale, applying it to a group (or groups) of people. Political philosophers study political governments, laws, justice, authority, rights, liberty, ethics, and much more.

AESTHETICS: What is beautiful? Philosophers try to understand, qualify, and quantify what makes art what it is. Aesthetics also takes a deeper look at the artwork itself, trying to understand the meaning behind it, both art as a whole and art on an individual level. A question an aesthetics philosopher would seek to address is whether or not beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder.

EPISTEMOLOGY: This is the study and understanding of knowledge. The main question is how do we know? We can question the limitations of logic, how comprehension works, and the ability (or perception) to be certain.