Beautifull is a descriptive word that encompasses a range of emotions, from the fiery passions of love to the calm serenity of a mountaintop. It carries weight, as the perfect descriptor can enhance communication and enrich the narrative it’s woven into. Yet what constitutes beauty’s most beautiful qualities can differ from person to person.
The classic stereotype that “beauty is only skin deep” is accurate in a sense, but not entirely. Certainly, an attractive face and physique communicate something about the individual that may attract a mate or enlighten his or her interactions with others. And in some ways, the face and physique are windows into underlying good qualities of health and genes as well as character.
But there is a more complex and rich understanding of beauty to be had, one that lies not in the superficial or ephemeral but in the eternal and unchanging. To many, the most beautiful woman is not someone who shines like silver or glitters like gold but rather a woman who is strong and graceful, wise and loving, whose beauty has depth. The Bible’s Proverbs warn men not to chase mere charm, which is “deceitful as the serpent” and “vain as a flower of the field,” but instead to pursue a true and lasting beauty that does not change or fade with the seasons.
This view of beauty avoids philistinism by enriching the concept of use, so that beauty could also refer to a skillfully or exquisitely performed practical activity. A Ceylonese-British scholar of Indian and European medieval arts suggests that a beautiful work of art or craft combines both function and form, thus satisfying the viewer’s desire to enjoy its aesthetic qualities as well as its utilitarian value.
Similarly, when someone beholds a landscape or work of art that is awe-inspiring to him or her, it may stir a desire for similar works or landscapes to be produced or experienced. This is the idea behind the notion of cultural heritage and preservation, that the world contains a wealth of works of beauty, that they are not lost in time or eroded by fashion.
This view of beauty can be found in the climaxes of several films, most notably in the final moments of Laputa (Castle in the Sky) and Naussica (Valley of the Wind), both by Hayao Miyazaki. In those moments, the characters of the film are united by the act of clasping hands, an act that is not only a beautiful and poetic gesture but also one that demonstrates their shared humanity. Unlike a mirror that may reflect only our own reflections, this fourth mirror, the experience of beauty, binds us together into communities of beauty lovers.