Eye beam
Encyclopedia
In the physics
inherited from Aristotle
an eye beam generated in the eye
was thought to be responsible for the sense of sight
. The eye-beam darted by the imagined basilisk
, for instance, was the agent of its lethal power, given the technical term extramission.
The exaggerated eyes of fourth-century Roman emperor
s like Constantine the Great
(illustration) reflect this character. The concept found expression in poetry into the 17th century, most famously in John Donne
's poem "The Extasie." Later in the century Newtonian optics
and increased understanding of the structure of the eye rendered the old concept invalid, but it was revived as an aspect of monstrous superhuman capabilities in popular culture
of the 20th century.
The emission theory of sight seemed to be corroborated by geometry
and was reinforced by Robert Grosseteste
.
Shakespeare's "Venus and Adonis", read in the light of contemporary conceptions of vision, founds a rhetoric of like kindnesses and loving mutuality is predicates loving mutuality upon a conceit
of visual reciprocation achieved in the exchange of eyebeams.
In Algernon Swinburne's "Atalanta in Calydon" the conception is revived for poetic purposes, enriching the poem's pagan context in the Huntsman's invocation of Artemis
:
In T.S. Eliot's rose garden episode that introduces "Burnt Norton
" eyebeams persist in the fusion of possible pasts and presents like unheard music:
The New Zealand poet Edward Tregear instanced "the lurid eye-beam of the angry Bull"— Taurus
of the zodiac— among the familiar stars above the alien wilderness of New Zealand.
In computer graphics
, the concept of eye beams is fruitfully resurrected in ray tracing (in which the bouncing of eye beams around a scene is simulated computationally).
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
inherited from Aristotle
Aristotle
Aristotle was a Greek philosopher and polymath, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. His writings cover many subjects, including physics, metaphysics, poetry, theater, music, logic, rhetoric, linguistics, politics, government, ethics, biology, and zoology...
an eye beam generated in the eye
Human eye
The human eye is an organ which reacts to light for several purposes. As a conscious sense organ, the eye allows vision. Rod and cone cells in the retina allow conscious light perception and vision including color differentiation and the perception of depth...
was thought to be responsible for the sense of sight
Visual perception
Visual perception is the ability to interpret information and surroundings from the effects of visible light reaching the eye. The resulting perception is also known as eyesight, sight, or vision...
. The eye-beam darted by the imagined basilisk
Basilisk
In European bestiaries and legends, a basilisk is a legendary reptile reputed to be king of serpents and said to have the power to cause death with a single glance...
, for instance, was the agent of its lethal power, given the technical term extramission.
Roman Emperor
The Roman emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period . The Romans had no single term for the office although at any given time, a given title was associated with the emperor...
s like Constantine the Great
Constantine I
Constantine the Great , also known as Constantine I or Saint Constantine, was Roman Emperor from 306 to 337. Well known for being the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity, Constantine and co-Emperor Licinius issued the Edict of Milan in 313, which proclaimed religious tolerance of all...
(illustration) reflect this character. The concept found expression in poetry into the 17th century, most famously in John Donne
John Donne
John Donne 31 March 1631), English poet, satirist, lawyer, and priest, is now considered the preeminent representative of the metaphysical poets. His works are notable for their strong and sensual style and include sonnets, love poetry, religious poems, Latin translations, epigrams, elegies, songs,...
's poem "The Extasie." Later in the century Newtonian optics
Isaac Newton
Sir Isaac Newton PRS was an English physicist, mathematician, astronomer, natural philosopher, alchemist, and theologian, who has been "considered by many to be the greatest and most influential scientist who ever lived."...
and increased understanding of the structure of the eye rendered the old concept invalid, but it was revived as an aspect of monstrous superhuman capabilities in popular culture
Popular culture
Popular culture is the totality of ideas, perspectives, attitudes, memes, images and other phenomena that are deemed preferred per an informal consensus within the mainstream of a given culture, especially Western culture of the early to mid 20th century and the emerging global mainstream of the...
of the 20th century.
The emission theory of sight seemed to be corroborated by geometry
Geometry
Geometry arose as the field of knowledge dealing with spatial relationships. Geometry was one of the two fields of pre-modern mathematics, the other being the study of numbers ....
and was reinforced by Robert Grosseteste
Robert Grosseteste
Robert Grosseteste or Grossetete was an English statesman, scholastic philosopher, theologian and Bishop of Lincoln. He was born of humble parents at Stradbroke in Suffolk. A.C...
.
Shakespeare's "Venus and Adonis", read in the light of contemporary conceptions of vision, founds a rhetoric of like kindnesses and loving mutuality is predicates loving mutuality upon a conceit
Conceit
In literature, a conceit is an extended metaphor with a complex logic that governs a poetic passage or entire poem. By juxtaposing, usurping and manipulating images and ideas in surprising ways, a conceit invites the reader into a more sophisticated understanding of an object of comparison...
of visual reciprocation achieved in the exchange of eyebeams.
In Algernon Swinburne's "Atalanta in Calydon" the conception is revived for poetic purposes, enriching the poem's pagan context in the Huntsman's invocation of Artemis
Artemis
Artemis was one of the most widely venerated of the Ancient Greek deities. Her Roman equivalent is Diana. Some scholars believe that the name and indeed the goddess herself was originally pre-Greek. Homer refers to her as Artemis Agrotera, Potnia Theron: "Artemis of the wildland, Mistress of Animals"...
:
Hear now and help, and lift no violent hand,
But favourable and fair as thine eye's beam,
Hidden and shown in heaven".
In T.S. Eliot's rose garden episode that introduces "Burnt Norton
Four Quartets
Four Quartets is a set of four poems written by T. S. Eliot that were published individually over a six-year period. The first poem, "Burnt Norton", was written and published with a collection of his early works following the production of Eliot's play Murder in the Cathedral...
" eyebeams persist in the fusion of possible pasts and presents like unheard music:
The unheard music hidden in the shrubbery
And the unseen eyebeam crossed, for the roses
Had the look of flowers that are looked at.
The New Zealand poet Edward Tregear instanced "the lurid eye-beam of the angry Bull"— Taurus
Taurus (constellation)
Taurus is one of the constellations of the zodiac. Its name is a Latin word meaning 'bull', and its astrological symbol is a stylized bull's head:...
of the zodiac— among the familiar stars above the alien wilderness of New Zealand.
In computer graphics
Computer graphics
Computer graphics are graphics created using computers and, more generally, the representation and manipulation of image data by a computer with help from specialized software and hardware....
, the concept of eye beams is fruitfully resurrected in ray tracing (in which the bouncing of eye beams around a scene is simulated computationally).