The Classical Liberal Arts in Action
Written by Grace Canlas
The classical liberal arts. In these four words lies knowledge from thousands of years, hundreds of books, and dozens of disciplines. However, when studied together, they unite toward one common goal: freedom.
The foundation of a classical liberal arts education at Hillsdale College is the core curriculum. Students are required to study a variety of subjects ranging from the natural sciences to the fine arts. The purpose of doing so is to give each individual a more complete picture of the good, the true, and the beautiful, therefore making him a freer human being. Hillsdale College teaches the classical liberal arts on a macro level through its core curriculum. However, each individual discipline strives to do the same on a micro level.
To fulfill my fine arts core requirement, I took the course “Understanding Theatre.” I chose theatre as my fine arts survey class since I greatly enjoyed participating in musical theatre throughout both middle school and high school. My inability to dance, draw, or play a musical instrument also made theatre an easy decision.
I went into my Theatre 201 class expecting to avoid dance, art, and music, but my assumption was wrong. On the first day of class, I discovered one of my creative assignments was to attend at least six different fine arts productions at Hillsdale College during the semester. Half of these were required to be theatre, and the remaining three had to be divided between art, dance, and music. I then had to compose six viewing journals detailing my experience at each event. Now, the concept sounds strange when you consider this is for a theatre class. Why on earth would my theatre professor care so much that I sit through a choir performance or walk through an art exhibit?
The answer is the same as the reason Hillsdale College has a core curriculum to begin with—for students to become free individuals. Theatre has enabled me to experience the beauty of the fine arts, but only through one perspective. To get a more complete picture of the beautiful, it is necessary that I understand the other fine arts—dance, art, and music. Each of these disciplines has given me a unique perspective and a more complete picture of beauty, life, and humanity. For example, since learning about Aristotle’s concept of catharsis in my theatre class, I have become greatly inspired by the storytelling of an orchestra or the emotions of a ballet. Receiving a classical liberal arts education that empowers me to think deeply and freely about the world is something I consider one of the greatest gifts in life.
Grace Canlas, ’27, is a prospective English major and military history and grand strategy minor. When not studying in the library, she can be found practicing martial arts or laughing with her family and friends.
Published in January 2024