Dante's Beatrice

Scarry mentions Dante's Beatrice as an example of a beautiful woman who inspired shocking and moving feelings in her beholder.

Odysseus

Odysseus, Homer's hero, saw a beautiful woman and at first was unable to comprehend her beauty until he put it in the context of other beauties he had seen.

Matisse's Palm Fronds

These fronds serve as the basis for Scarry's argument that we can be mistaken in what we find beautiful (or ugly).

Vase

Scarry writes that a badly constructed vase only increases our appreciation of beautiful vases.

Assembly Hall

An assembly hall, as a physical manifestation of equality, is necessary so that people have something to center their appreciation of justice on.

Trireme

A boat used in Athens; Scarry mentions it to prove that beauty is not only aesthetic but also powerful.

Sky

Scarry writes that, in the future, we would wish for humans...