Beauty: Susan Sontag BBS 2nd Year Visions: A Thematic

Essay: Beauty by Susan Sontag

About the Essayist 

Susan Sontag (born January 16, 1933, New York, U.S.—died December 28, 2004, New York) American intellectual and writer best known for her essays on modern culture. She studied English Literature (M.A., 1954) and philosophy (M.A., 1955) at Harvard University and taught philosophy at several colleges and universities before the publication of her first novel, The Benefactor (1963). 

Her essays are characterised by a serious philosophical approach to various aspects and personalities of modern culture. Sontag's work often explored the role of the intellectual in society and the impact of art and media on contemporary life. She was a prolific writer, with notable works including "Against Interpretation," "On Photography," and "Illness as Metaphor."

The Main Gist of the Essay

Susan Sontag's essay "Beauty" explores the concept of beauty and its significance in human life and culture. She challenges the conventional notions of beauty as a purely aesthetic or superficial quality, arguing instead that beauty is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon that is deeply intertwined with our perceptions, values, and experiences. Sontag explores how beauty has been defined and represented throughout history, noting its connection to power, desire, and social hierarchies. She also examines the role of beauty in art, questioning whether beauty is a necessary or even desirable quality in artistic expression.

Ultimately, Sontag suggests that beauty is a subjective and elusive concept, one that is deeply influenced by our cultural and personal backgrounds. She argues that our understanding and appreciation of beauty are constantly evolving, reflecting broader shifts in society and culture.

 

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Summary of the Essay

"Beauty", first published in Vogue magazine in 1975, Susan Sontag traces the history of a word that was once defined as "general excellence" but which hasoften been used to characterize "female appearance." Her purpose in this essay is to show how a woman's beauty has been degraded while being called beautiful and how that considers their true identity, as it seems to portray innocence and honesty while hiding the ugliness of the truth. The feminist author shows that over the centuries, Westerners have significantly altered their idea of beauty; the Greeks thought of it as the quality of personal excellence, whereas now Westerners think of it as a surface attractiveness that gives power to its possessor.

 

Sontag uses narrative structure to express the conventional attitude, which defines beauty as a concept applied today only to women and their outward appearance. The essayist introduces her essay to the audience by establishing a focal point around the fact that women viewed today are copied from the religious perspective of how women were viewed in history. 

During ancient times, Greeks and Christians practised their methods of analysing and critiquing women and their beauty. The Greeks believed that the lack of ‘inner” beauty could be compensated with “outer” beauty. For them, beauty was a virtue, a kind of excellence. To them, excellence included beauty, character, morality, and ability. They expected that inner beauty would be matched by the beauty of the other kind. They distinguished the two beauties in a way that suggested that both were interconnected with one another within an individual. For Greeks, beauty means overall excellence. Therefore, it was quite contradictory that Socrates was so brave, so honourable, and so intelligent yet so ugly. His outside appearance didn't reflect the knowledge and wisdom that were inside him. His disciples had observed the inner beauty in their teacher. 

Christianity, on the other hand, gave moral significance to beauty; in defining beauty, a person could have an attractive appearance but lack virtue(goodness). So, Christians made a distinction between inner goodness and outer beauty. Beauty was considered to have no real value. It was not nearly as important as character.

In modern times, the concept of beauty has changed and is used to refer to a female's appearance. When people hear the word 'beauty', they think of "female appearance" and not her intelligence or quality. We say a beautiful woman and a handsome man in English (in French and Italian, the word 'beauty' is not reserved for women only; A man may also be called beautiful). Even society teaches women to judge each part of their bodies separately, and if any part is found slightly imperfect, they are called imperfect. It will certainly make them more inferior and dependent on males. But for males, such imperfections are trivial (not important) things. 

One of the famous artists states, ‘beauty is a form of power’. According to Susan, it is the only form of power to attract men that most women are encouraged to seek. It is not a power to do but a power to reject itself. As a result, women try to get it, making them inferior to what they are. That's why Susan objects to women's striving to attain beauty as a source of power. Even if a woman succeeds in her intelligence, she will be doubted. If she takes care of her appearance and looks smart, she will be criticised. If she doesn't look attractive, she will also be criticised and ignored. Whatever she does is considered wrong. Society has a prejudice against women. Women should not limit their attention to being beautiful outwardly, but also emphasise inner beauty - i.e. vision and wisdom, which is long-lasting and more fruitful. They should be competent, independent, and thoughtful to revive the ideal value of beauty and preserve their identity in society.

Possible questions

a.     What kind of beauty does Sontag favor?

Susan Sontag is advocating for' inward/inner beauty'(character, intellect, and vision), which is considered to be more important than 'outward/outer beauty'(facial attraction or looks, physique, or sense of proportion of the body), especially for women. Our society always teaches women to be fair and beautiful. So, most women think that their only aim and responsibility is to be beautiful. Such a concept has not only degraded women's dignity but has also made them inferior to what they are and dependent on males. The writer is telling the beautiful woman to think over the nothing of outer looks. Their beauty should be used as a source of power to do something, but not to attract men. They should be competent, independent, and thoughtful to revive the ideal value of beauty and preserve their identity in society. Women shouldn't be flattered by men.

b.     How is 'beauty' devalued in modern days? Discuss its meaning in ancient times.

OR

What is the Greek concept of beauty? How is it paradoxical in today's understanding?

To the Ancient Greeks, beauty was very important, but they made no distinction between inner beauty and outer beauty. To them, "excellence" included beauty, character, and ability. Socrates puzzled them because he was a small, ugly man, yet he was a great philosopher and teacher. His outside appearance did not reflect the knowledge and wisdom that were inside him. He contradicted their concept of excellence. The Christian era introduced some different ideas about beauty. A person could have an attractive appearance but lack virtue(goodness). So, Christians made a distinction between inner goodness and outer beauty. Beauty was considered to have no real value. It was not nearly as important as character. In modern times, the concept of beauty has changed and is used to refer to a female's appearance.  When people hear the word 'beauty', they think of "female appearance" and not her intelligence or quality. This reinforces the idea that beauty is not valuable, only useful as a decoration. Despite knowing that beauty is only valued as decoration, modern women still feel they should look beautiful, and they worry too much about their appearance. Beauty may give a woman a kind of power to attract men. As a result, even if women succeeded in acquiring leading positions in any field, the male society looked at them with suspicious eyes.  They discredit women's potential, intelligence, and professionalism. So, women should return to the idea of overall excellence as stated by the Greeks.

c.      If beauty is a form of power, why does Sontag object to that kind of power?

Beauty is a form of power, but she is always looked at with suspicious eyes even if she has a good rise in work, politics, law, medicine, business, or whatever. She is always under pressure to confess that, still, she works at being beautiful/attractive. This power is always conceived of men; it is not power to do but to attract. As a result, women's striving to attain it makes them feel inferior to what they are. They cannot choose this power freely, as their capacity or ability is always under social censorship. That's why Susan Sontag objects to women's striving to attain beauty.

d.     What change in attitude do you think Sontag wants to bring about in her female readers? In male readers?

In "Beauty," Susan Sontag aims to challenge conventional attitudes towards beauty, particularly as they pertain to gender. For female readers, she likely seeks to encourage a reevaluation of societal standards that often impose narrow and oppressive definitions of beauty. Sontag may want women to feel empowered to define beauty on their terms, embracing a more diverse and inclusive understanding that celebrates individuality and uniqueness. On the other hand, for male readers, Sontag may want to promote a more empathetic and nuanced view of beauty. She might encourage men to move away from objectification and superficial judgments, and instead, to appreciate beauty as a complex and multifaceted concept that extends beyond physical appearance.

e.      To what extent does Sontag use 'giving functions' as her strategy for defining? To what extent does she use 'drawing analogies'?

Sontag primarily uses the strategy of "drawing analogies" to define beauty in her essay. She compares beauty to other abstract concepts like truth and justice, using these comparisons to highlight the depth and complexity of beauty. By drawing parallels between beauty and these fundamental concepts, Sontag suggests that beauty is not just a superficial or decorative quality, but rather a fundamental aspect of human experience that is intertwined with our understanding of truth, morality, and the nature of existence. While she does touch on the idea of "giving functions" to beauty, her main focus is on exploring its meaning through analogy and comparison.

f.       Are Sontag's claims about the place of beauty in a culture applicable in Nepali culture as well? Explain the statement.

Sontag's assertions about the place of beauty in culture could be applicable in Nepali culture, albeit with some cultural nuances. Like many cultures, Nepali society values beauty in various forms, including art, architecture, and nature. However, the specific ideals and perceptions of beauty in Nepal may be influenced by cultural, historical, and social factors unique to the region. For example, Nepali culture may place a strong emphasis on natural beauty, given the country's stunning landscapes and rich biodiversity. Additionally, the concept of beauty in Nepali culture may be closely tied to spiritual and religious beliefs, with beauty being seen as a reflection of divine creation. Overall, Sontag's ideas on the subjective and evolving nature of beauty could echo with individuals in Nepali culture who are grappling with similar questions about beauty and its significance in their society.

 

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