Full outline

Introduction
Iconography (ī'kŏnŏg'rəfē)
-When first used in the 18th century the term was confined to the study of engravings, which were then the standard mode of illustrating books on art and on antiquities in general. But it came shortly to be applied more specifically to the history and classification of Christian images and symbols of all sorts, in whatever medium they happened to be rendered originally or in whatever way they were reproduced for study.
-With the rise of the systematic investigation of art from prehistoric ages to modern times, it became apparent that each major phase or epoch in which figural representations occur had created and developed in varying degrees of richness and elaboration an iconography of its own. As used today, therefore, the term is unavoidably qualified to specify the field of iconographic period under discussion.

I. The importance of iconography briefly in history- how language is defined by it.
A. Cave paintings
-Found in Europe, Africa, Australia, and Southeast Asia. – Images unite. Images speak.
-Cave Paintings, everyone has heard of them, but just in case not, these are images dating to prehistoric times. The earliest known European cave paintings date to 32,000 years ago. The purpose of the cave paintings is not known, and may never be. The evidence suggests that they were not merely decorations of living areas, since the caves in which they have been found do not have signs of ongoing habitation. Also, they are often in areas of caves that are not easily accessed. Some theories hold that they may have been a way of transmitting information, while other theories ascribe them a religious or ceremonial purpose. Well, whatever the initial purpose of these paintings, today they certainly are a way to transmit information. These simple pictorials capture and explicate a long inaccessible historical moment.

B. Rosetta stone
-A 114.4 centimeters tall, 72.3 centimeters wide, and 27.9 centimeters thick, 1,676 pound stone entirely changed our understanding of an integral society in human history, how? Through images.
-One of the most famous iconographical discoveries was the discovery of the Rosetta stone.
- The Rosetta stone also offers another historical importance, a famous representative sample of language as images. It is often forgot that written language is just a series of images that have been imbued with significance. The letters on this page form and image, a word, and in its unique form it presents to you a message.


II. Language as an Icon in Watchmen (Blaringly explicit but overlooked often)

A. The language of the work itself

B. Newspapers and what it says (5-12) (3-24/25)

C. ---- Perhaps The internal comic

III. Icons as Language in Watchmen ( the unspoken)

A. Professor Manhattans Hydrogen atom finds meaning ( 4-12)

B. Costume icons representing Gender roles

C. Costumes as icons for internal refelction (6-8)

D. Images that unite.

IV. Real world relations to Watchmen ( images as a function of Cognitive estrangement)
A. The monster unites… like the atrocity of 9/11
B. ----
C. ----


Conclusion

-The very last picture on the list is the one I want to quote from. Relation to how images are all we have that defines humanity. Images define us. (expand on this topic).
- Perhaps a plug about then why does society, our cannon, resist illustrated literature so vehemently? (leave the reader with an idea to ponder)