Final answer:
The passages discuss the usage of armor and natural elements like oak branches in various forms of art to symbolize victory and honor. This practice permeates both visual arts and literature, where it represents power and triumph, enhancing cultural understanding.
Step-by-step explanation:
The passage describes a symbolic tradition related to warfare and victory, which is most closely associated with the Arts, particularly the visual arts and literature. It paints a picture of warriors who stripped armor from their defeated enemies as trophies and an example of the triumph in war. The custom of displaying armor and branches, or creating trophies from oak trees, was to honor the gods and celebrate victory, and it has been a recurring theme in art and literature throughout history. This tradition has been depicted in various forms in sculpture, paintings, and literary descriptions, where the victor is shown as a hero, often with the spoils of the vanquished as symbols of their conquest.
In ancient art, the act of stripping a defeated warrior's armor and clothing is representative of the victor's dominance. Similarly, the oak branches that are carried or used to honor victors carry the vitality of the plants, symbolizing power and triumph. This is well-reflected in the third passage, where it mentions Stalin's portrait enclosed in an oak leaf garland post-victory. The use of branches and armor as symbols of victory in artwork plays a significant role in how historical and mythical achievements are represented and remembered.
Furthermore, in literature, this concept of victory in warfare and the subsequent rituals like sacrifices and dressing statues of gods in sacred finery (last passage), often contribute to the narrative and thematic elements, enhancing the understanding of the culture and era. These historical and cultural depersonifications are essential in the study of Arts, and how they evoke the themes of victory and celebrate achievements.