The Classical Paradigm Of The Beautiful And Sublime In 2001: A Space Odyssey

Abstract

The essay explores the philosophical concepts of the beautiful and
the sublime in the classical sense to philosophically and aesthetically analyze
the film 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), directed by Stanley Kubrick. Drawing
from Erwin Panofsky, it highlights beauty as harmony between art and nature,
contrasting the two models he identifies in the ancient theory of art: the realistic
imitation of nature (imitatio) and its ideal refinement (electio). Kubrick’s work
reflects this through symmetrical visual compositions, technical rigor, and scientific
verisimilitude, transcending genre conventions. Meanwhile, Pseudo-Longino’
definition of the sublime explains how Kubrick conveys emotional and conceptual
grandeur through eloquent silences, narrative ellipses, and musical choices. The
film is argued to balance both approaches: beauty in its visual precision and the
sublime in its symbolic transcendence about human evolution.