What Does classic Mean
The Latin term classĭcus arrived in Castilian as classic , an adjective that has different meanings. The first meaning mentioned by the dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy ( RAE ) refers to the time period in which a people, a culture or an artistic expression reach their maximum degree of development .
It is known as Classical Antiquity , in this sense, the Greco-Roman period where great advances were registered. It is generally considered to begin in the 5th century BC and extend to the 2nd century AD , encompassing this part of the history of Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome .
It can be said, on a general level, that the classic is worthy of admiration and imitation . It is part of a class that is considered superior and therefore serves as a model .
In the artistic field, a creator or a work can be classified as classic because of its high quality or because of its popularity . For example: "Agatha Christie's novels are a classic of detective literature" , "James Cameron is the director of several of the most important classics of contemporary cinema" , "The White Album is a classic of The Beatles" .
In the previous examples we can appreciate different nuances in the use of the term "classic": on the one hand we have those works that were launched on the market many years ago and that, due to their great success, have become items worthy of being remembered more. beyond its time ; but there are also creations that immediately captivate the public and receive this qualification even shortly after being presented.
In this case we can speak of instant classic , a concept widely used in the field of cinema, video games, music and literature. Given the subjective nature of art , on the other hand, this honor label is not a guarantee of quality for all consumers; in fact, many times it is granted for convenience, for certain economic interests, with which it has absolutely no weight.
That which respects established norms and traditions or that is typical is also classified as classic: “I like to wear classic clothes, nothing fancy” , “We decided to sell the classic furniture and buy avant-garde pieces” .
Classic products have a style that does not break with fashion, does not attract attention but fits perfectly and fulfills its function without generating changes. This can be considered a positive factor for the most conservative people, but negative for those who are always looking for new experiences in life.
It goes without saying that the classic style is not inherently positive or negative , but simply one more, that anyone should be free to choose or reject without criticism or contempt. However, in the reality of many elitist circles (and some, not so much) it is always regarded with higher esteem than the avant-garde .
The music classical , for example, is a very particular concept. In the first place, it is often used to refer to "academic music", to contrast it with "popular"; This means that it is not necessarily about the works that were composed during musical classicism, but about the pieces that must be performed by symphony orchestras, pianos and lyrical singers.
Despite the fact that a classical work has no inherent value, people tend to respect classical music more than contemporary, forgetting that at one point in history it was also contemporary and popular .
In several countries , classic is a game or a sporting event of great importance, which usually faces great rivalry competitors: "Boca Juniors and River Plate will be the protagonists tomorrow of a new edition of the Argentine soccer classic . "