Theme (arts)
In the context of the arts, the term "theme" refers to the overarching subjects and central ideas conveyed through various art forms, including literature, painting, and performances. Themes can range from universal concepts like love, betrayal, and social justice to more specific ideas like the impact of war on humanity. Works of art may encompass multiple themes, typically categorized as major or minor; major themes are prominent throughout the work, while minor themes provide additional context and support. For example, in Jane Austen's *Pride and Prejudice*, marriage serves as a major theme, with friendship and affection as minor themes.
Themes can be expressed directly or indirectly and are often discerned by analyzing the elements of the artwork, such as character development in literature or color schemes in visual art. Common themes in classic literature include love and friendship, as seen in works by Shakespeare and Tolstoy, while themes of war, like those depicted in Picasso's *Guernica*, highlight the profound human experiences associated with conflict. The exploration of themes fosters a deeper emotional connection between the audience and the artwork, reflecting shared experiences and cultural perspectives. Overall, themes play a crucial role in the interpretation and appreciation of art, enabling audiences to engage with the emotional and conceptual undertones of creative expressions.
Theme (arts)
The term theme refers to the overall subjects expressed in or by an art form, whether it be a literary work, an actor’s portrayal of a character, a painting, or a gallery exhibition. Themes often refer to central ideas or meanings in a form of art. Themes can be anything from a general concept of love, to betrayal, social justice, loneliness, or death. Art forms, especially literature, can have multiple themes, which are typically categorized as either major or minor. A major theme is something that repeats or appears throughout a work and is consistently referenced or alluded to. On the other hand, minor themes appear only briefly in works but support major themes. For example, Jane Austen’s novel Pride and Prejudice (1813) deals with marriage as a major theme but includes minor themes of friendship, affection, and love. Overall, themes seek to provide greater context to a work of art and a greater connection to the art form’s audience by drawing on a shared understanding or experience with a concept, expression, or opinion.
Background
Themes can be specifically defined as a central idea or alluded to indirectly throughout a work of art. Themes are more commonly found in literary works, such as novels, poetry, or short stories, but are also evident in paintings and other visual art forms. As is the case with all art forms, themes can be stated directly or indirectly in a work of art. Additionally, themes should not be confused with the concept of a subject, which is the foundational topic of a work. For example, the 1851 oil painting Washington Crossing the Delaware, by German American painter Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze, portrays the subject of General George Washington’s crossing the Delaware River in December 1776 during the American Revolutionary War, but the themes of the painting are of leadership and patriotism. In most works of art, the audience is left to explore and determine the central theme of a work by analyzing the elements in the work. In literature, these elements might be character development, plot, setting, tone, alliteration, allusion, or other literary techniques; in visual arts, these elements might include lighting, color scheme, and artistic genre.
Overall, themes are generally recognizable to a majority of people. Themes can be based on shared expressions or emotions, such as love for family, or historical events, such as the sense of nostalgia and loss associated with World War II. Themes can also speak to an audience on a cultural level.
Overview
In most cases, themes are supported by recurring patterns. Recurrence not only helps readers connect with overall themes but also provides a thread throughout a work that all the literary elements point to or support. A theme can be expressed through the emotions or perceptions of a main character, presented through the interactions or conversations of multiple characters, or constructed through plots that build consequences to characters’ actions.
Some common themes that occur frequently in classic literary works include love and friendship, which can be seen in William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet (1597), Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights (1847), Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina (1875–77; English translation, 1886), and Austen’s Sense and Sensibility (1811). The paintings of Norman Rockwell (1894–1978) depict the many variations on the theme of love and friendship that he witnessed in small town America, from a young couple stopping at a soda fountain en route to the prom to a naval seaman getting the name of his latest paramour tattooed on his bicep. While the theme of love is common among these works, the intent or expression of the theme varies in its connotation, meaning the theme can support a pleasant, negative, or even a hurtful view of love.
War and its impact on humanity is also a common theme found in art. A powerful example may be found in Pablo Picasso’s (1881–1973) antiwar mural Guernica (1937), which memorializes and condemns dictator Francisco Franco’s brutal massacre of a small Basque village during the Spanish Civil War. The theme of war is central to works such as Homer’s Iliad (ca. 750 BCE; English translation, 1611) and Odyssey (ca. 725 BCE; English translation, 1614), Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind (1936), and the documentary film Band of Brothers (2001). In each work, the theme of war is central to the story, defining the characters and shaping their lives. Other themes such as revenge, hatred, evil, and cultural stratification and acceptance are also popular and tend to translate across multiple cultures, languages, and shared experiences around the globe, giving these themes a sense of universality that spans cultural differences and language barriers. This basic foundation of theme suggests that all people can connect with one another on an emotional or an empathic level. The successful conveyance of a theme relies on a shared understanding of an overall concept. Themes help unify literary elements or artistic techniques in a work, creating a central idea and understanding of what the artist wishes the work to convey.
Bibliography
Dale, Jacquette. Schopenhauer, Philosophy, and the Arts. New York: Cambridge UP, 2007. Print.
Higgins, Rosalyn. Themes and Theories: Selected Essays, Speeches, and Writings in International Law. New York: Oxford UP, 2009. Print.
Hutchinson, Peter. Literary Presentations of Divided Germany: The Development of a Central Theme in East German Fiction 1945–1970. New York: Cambridge UP, 1977. Print.
Jondorf, Gillian. Robert Garnier and the Themes of Political Tragedy in the Sixteenth Century. New York: Cambridge UP, 2012. Print.
Larrington, Carolyne. A Store of Common Sense: Gnomic Theme and Style in Old Icelandic and Old English Wisdom Poetry. New York: Oxford UP, 1993. Print.
Pasnau, Robert. Metaphysical Themes 1274–1671. New York: Oxford UP, 2011. Print.
Robertson, Jean, and Craig McDaniel. Themes of Contemporary Art: Visual Art after 1980. New York: Oxford UP, 2012. Print.