Culture as a Process in Levines Highbrow, Lowbrow Essay -- Highbrow L

Culture as a Process in Levines Highbrow, LowbrowIn Highbrow, Lowbrow, Levine argues that a distinction between superior and low culture that did not exist in the first half of the 19th speed of light emerged by the turn of the century and solidified during the 20th century, and that despite a move in the last few decades toward a more ecumenical interpretation of culture, the distinction between high art and popular entertainment and the revering of a piece of tailon of sacred, inalterable cultural works persists. In the prologue Levine states that one of his central arguments is that concepts of cultural boundaries have changed over the plosive consonant he treats. Throughout Highbrow, Lowbrow, Levine defines culture as a process rather than a fixed entity, and as a product of interactions between the past and the present. Levines first chapter presents evidence that 19th century Americans of all social classes enjoyed Shakespeare as an integral part of their culture and ente rtainment. Shakespeares works were familiar enough to the earth that a variety of parodies were written and performed for large crowds that displayed their engagement with the works by applause, vegetable-throwing, interruptions, and commands to the actors. Shakespeares plays were performed in frontier communities and in cities, in churches and theatres and make-shift stages, attended by quite a little of all classes. He describes the integration of Shakespeare into the Americans language and imagination, and explains Shakespeares popularity on the basis of its compatibility with 19th century Americans oral rhetorical style and their ability to see their stimulate cultures emphasis on individualism and morality reflected in Shakespeares casefuls and stories. Levine ex... ... and others whom Levine treats are a different breed of reformers because they are concerned and indirectly with morality. But when Br let laments that todays youth are intellectually wanting and have n o connection with their cultural heritage, he uses unfearing phrases such as junk food for the soul, indicating that the erosion of appreciation for high culture is changing not only the common forms of entertainment but the character of todays youth. Another parallel exists in Browns conception of culture and the Springhalls reformers concept of morality as something that youth can access if they choose to break away from the evil influences of mass or popular culture with the help, of course, of their moral or intellectual superiors, who long to inculcate their own (perhaps technologically or culturally outdated) ways of thinking into the next generation.