RenaissanceRebirth

The Norton Anthology of World Literature 1500-1650Volume C

Significant Challenges• These aspects posed a significant

challenge to notions of Europe’s and humankind’s centrality in the world:– Columbus’s so-called discovery of

Americas– New scholarly methods for

interpreting ancient texts– Copernicus’s scientific theories– Galileo’s astronomical observations

About the Renaissance• Series of literary and cultural movements

in the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries• Began in Italy

– Expanded into Germany, France, England, and other parts of Europe

• Studied Ancient Rome and Greece– Classical education

• Ancient texts• Poetry• History• Rhetoric• Moral philosophy

• Humanism– Emphasizes the worth of the individual

Humanism

• Dominant intellectual movement of Renaissance

• Philosophy that people were rational human beings

• Emphasized the dignity and worth of the individual

• Humanities: promotion of a new educational curriculum– Included grammar, rhetoric,

history, poetry, and ethics

Humanist• Francesco Petrarca (Petrarch)

– First great humanist– Contemporary poet– Studied and collected ancient texts

during his travels– Influenced:

• Giovanni Boccaccio• Niccolò Niccoli• Coluccio Salutati

Scholasticism• Concentrated on study of logic, science,

and metaphysics, or the nature of reality

• Humanists believed scholastics failed to instill respect for public duty

• Prepared students for training in:– Medicine– Law– Theology

• Believed to focus on the intellectual development while Humanist focused on the whole self: intellectual, physical, and moral development

Characteristics of the Renaissance• Rediscovery of classical literature and

art• Middle Ages:

– Interest in classical literature, especially Latin and Latin translations of Greek

– Confined to professional activities of theologians, philosophers, and writers

– Served a specialized interest and purpose

• Renaissance:– People from all aspects of society (Kings,

Queens, merchants and soldiers) studied classical art and literature.

– Amateurs who studied for the pleasure of it– Existed largely for their own sake, objects of

ideal beauty or learning

Curiosity and Objectivity• Intense interest in the visible

world • Interest in the knowledge derived

from concrete sensory experience• During the Renaissance, the focus

turned from religious issues to the morality of human actions

Individualism• Individual is seen for his or her unique

talents• Potential of the individual became

significant• Brought about an emphasis on education

– Intellectual:• Scholarship

– Writing of Sonnets

– Physical:• Swordsmanship• Wrestling

• Renaissance: Ideal person is not bound to one discipline. Specialization like that in the Middle Ages is not encouraged.

Artists–Middle Ages:

•Focus on otherworldliness and on glorifying God•Humble and remained anonymous

–Renaissance:•Valued glory and renown •Signed their works