Since the dawn of civilization, there has been a constant struggle to find who or what is the focus of the universe. After Italy’s dark age, it became clear to most people at the time that when the Renaissance era began, the classics were revived and soon after, the appreciation of man began to develop. This was known as Humanism. Humanism can be described as the main intellectual component of the Renaissance. During the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, the Classics allowed artists to begin to incorporate the Greek and Roman, or Latin, characteristics into their art. While Humanism began spreading across Italy, the people of this time began to see that the ultimate value should not be measured in humility, but in talent and accomplishment. …show more content…
Even as the Church was no longer at the center of the universe, Scholars still attempted to connect Christianity and Humanism, by saying all human talents were a gift from God. Some humanists were considered to be using the elements of the Renaissance even before it began, such as Dante Alighieri. It is clear that his writings portray humanism, and Dante’s belief similar and differ to other humanists idea’s in the Renaissance such as Boccaccio and Petrarch. Although, Dante Alighieri lived before the widespread expansion of humanism, his style in The Divine Comedies. displays aspects of later humanistic thought. For instance, in The Inferno, Dante connects the Greek and Roman Mythologies, or the Classics, by placing various characters from the two and putting them into hell. As Dante journeyed through hell, he encounters many different sinners, beasts, and guards from either of the two components of the Classics such as, “Plutus the great enemy”(VI. 102-6) and the “Three-headed Cerberus, monstrous and cruel, barks dog-like at the souls immersed here, louder for his triple throat”(VI. 12-14). Dante incorporates two beasts from the myths which can be seen as a part of the main characteristic of the Renaissance. He also references Charon, “an old man in a boat”(III. 67-8), Minos “the dreadful snarls at the gate. He examines each one's sin...and wraps himself in his tail with as many turns as levels down the shade will have to dwell”(V. 3-11), and numerous others. Dante also uses another element of humanism in his writing. Dante’s poem follows the law of contrapasso, or divine retribution. The Inferno was created to punish the unrepentant souls and the sinful, Bruce states, “He made each punishment appropriate for the sin being punished. In the Inferno, the sins and punishments grow worse the deeper the sinners go”(Bruce 193). The punishment fits the crime, allowing the sinner to get exactly what they deserve in Dante’s opinion. For example, in the seventh circle, for the violent, all three rings of sinners have a somewhat challenging and painful punishment that is deserving for their sin. In the first ring, Dante and Virgil see the violent who harmed others when living. These sinners are being immersed into a boiling river of blood “Because these violent people caused the blood of other people to flow, now they are immersed in blood. Each sinner is appointed a certain level to be immersed in the river; the more blood the sinner caused to flow on earth, the lower they must stay in the river”(Bruce 198). It is the sinner's own fault they were sinful and were unrepentant, putting man at the center of the universe because it was no one but man’s error. Dante “had the deepest appreciation for all the highest human values”(Montano 207). In The Inferno, the elements of humanism are clear, but he had also influenced later humanistic thoughts when the Renaissance and humanism developed. Similarly,one of the many humanists that were impacted includes Francesco Petrarca, or Petrarch.
He can be known as “the founder of what we call humanism”(Montano 213), and allowed the Renaissance and humanism to grow as a whole. Petrarch expressed his thoughts through writing, such as the Letters to Boccaccio and his Love Sonnets to Laura. The Love Sonnets to Laura were dedicated to Laura because she was supposedly the love of his life. This is a likeness to Dante and the alleged love of his life, Beatrice. Dante wrote sonnets “...dedicated to Beatrice, with whom Dante first fell in love when they were both children and continued to love and idealize after her death”(Greer. 197). Many scholars and philosophers believe Beatrice was one of the main influences for Dante to begin writing the Comedies. Dante actually incorporated Beatrice into The Divine Comedy by composing Beatrice as a guide. Petrarch’s sonnets are fairly similar to Dante’s when it comes to the subject matter about their lovers. According to Dante “No woman’s countenance has ever worn in such miraculous degree the hue of love and pity’s look, from yielding to the sight of gentle eyes or folk who mourn,....”(La Vita Nuova. 1-4). Dante was appreciating Beatrice's beauty in this one out of the many sonnets dedicated to her. Petrarch had also appreciated Laura’s beauty by writing 366 sonnets about her and her beauty. One says, “It was on that day the sun’s ray was darkened in pity for its Maker, that I was …show more content…
captured, and did not defend myself, because your lovely eyes had bound me, Lady”(1-4). Petrarch is becoming distracted by the beauty of Laura. Both of these men put either Laura or Beatrice at the center of their universe, which in a way can be portrayed as being apart of humanistic belief. Another example of how the two men resemble involves their beliefs about Heaven and Hell. Dante placed souls in hell because they were sinful and were unrepentant, and therefore, should be punished for their doings. And Petrarch states in his Letters to Boccaccio, “The goal of all good people is the same, but the ways of reaching it are many and various. Some advance slowly, others with more spirit; some obscurely, others again conspicuously. One takes a lower, another a higher path”(Petrarch). He considered that their were many ways the soul could reach Heaven, mainly either literary and religion though. Therefore, the two powerful influential writers had many of the same beliefs and concepts, but Petrarch was not the only humanist to have a strong connection with the writings of Dante in the western civilization. Throughout the time of the Renaissance, Dante made a great impact on many other humanists in the middle ages.
Besides Petrarch, there was Giovanni Boccaccio, a follower of Petrarch, who also encouraged the idea of humanism, and was an avid follower of Dante. Just as the Divine Comedy, the Decameron is a renowned piece of medieval pre-Renaissance literature, and incorporates certain important elements of the western world. The Decameron consists of 100 short stories or novelle set in Florence during the Black Death of 1348. These stories are very well-known for their humor, stamina, realism, and a large range of tone and subject. It is believed that the 100 stories are mirroring the Divine Comedy. To be truly noble, according to the Decameron, the man must accept life as it is and not worry about the afterlife. Also above all, must take the consequences of his own action, however opposite to his expectation or even tragic they may be. Dante is extremely alike to Boccaccio’s most distinguished work. Dante trusted the fact that if you are sinful and unrepentant, then you should receive the consequence, and for these sinners that were going to hell. In a way, because Dante encouraged this, The Inferno and the Decameron are not very indifferent. But, they are still different and “To state that Boccaccio’s Decameron has the same rhetoric of political urgency and moral responsibility as does the Commedia would be impossible and unpopular”(Olson 48). However, Boccaccio’s work was
also influenced by Dante, because he was a follower of the Divine Comedy, so their beliefs were nearly the same. It is easy to see that Dante made a large impact on Boccaccio’s opinion, or judgement, and his writings. Therefore, Dante contributed a greater effect on the different humanists of this century, and he influenced Classical scholars to create great works of art. The works of Petrarch, Dante and Boccaccio in the 1300s foreshadowed the dramatic change in western society that was about to begin. All of these well known writers put the elements of the Renaissance into their works; they were influencing what was to come in the later years. All three brilliantly influential men and were all supporters of the Renaissance and humanism, Therefore, they believed that man should be at the center of universe, and not the Church or religion. Dante Alighieri had been extremely influential to later humanists, some being Boccaccio and Petrarch. Dante’s work, The Inferno, had portrayed many characteristics of a few of the elements of the Renaissance, which later inspired classical scholars to become interested in the thought of humanism. All of their contributions or influences to later scholars can be clearly acknowledged by sightings referencing their work.
“The Decameron Stories” written by Italian author Giovanni Boccaccio between years 1348-1351 take place in the period of plague epidemic which devastated Europe. He narrates how plague was suffered in Firenze and reactions of people against collective deaths as a close observer at introduction of the book to his readers. Aldo S .Bernardo states “ In short, the plaque in the “Decameron” resembles the voice of Augustine in Petrarch’s “ Secretum” reminding his protégé not only of the fragility of human condition but of the fearfulness of the final moment of life and of the evanescent nature of human love.’’
Established in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries to counter the limited ideals of medieval scholasticism, Renaissance Humanism were educational and social reform ideals that sought to emphasize individualism as a central value in contrast to religious beliefs. Humanists revered the dignity of human kind and called for a life of virtuous action. The writings of Petrarch and Pico exemplify humanist thought by displaying the values of self-knowledge, individualism, and studying lessons from the past; appealing to the authorities of the Greek and Latin classics by Cicero, Vergil, Horace, Plato and Livy. Petrarch and Pico’s thinking can be constituted as a marked departure from medieval attitudes and beliefs, due to the origins of humanist resources being classical and biblical rather stemmed from medieval philosophers and theologians.
Nauert, Charles G., Jr. Humanism and the Culture of Renaissance Europe. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1995. Print.
The subject of The School of Athens is humanistic in and of itself. The Textbook Defines humanism in the glossary as “A philosophy emphasizing the worth of the individual, the rational abilities of humankind, and the human potential for good. During the Italian Renaissance, humanism was part of a movement that encouraged study of the classical cultures of Greece and Rome.” In this fresco, Raphael represents the worth and achievements of individuals, as well as the greatness of classical culture. The School of Athen...
The Renaissance has not ceased to be an age of discussion and debate among historians throughout the recent centuries. The vibrant nature of the era marks it as a most fascinating period of history. The Renaissance can be described as an age carrying the essence of “self-discovery and fulfillment, of recognition of human worth, and a dynamic outpouring of artistic activity.” This new world flourishing with art and creative optimism was also steeped in a spirit of “revolt of the Medievalists.” In an effort of “rebirth,” the previous culture of the Middle Ages was rejected, and even scorned. Foundational principles in all fields were overstepped, and old cultural norms were practically obsolete. It was an era whose humanistic philosophy greatly impacted the lens through which man viewed himself and the world.
The cultural and philosophical ambiance of the Renaissance is perhaps most evident in its sculpture; the philosophy of humanism provided an impetus for a restoration and later emulation of the conceptions of beauty and perfection characteristic of Greco-Roman antiquity.
During the renaissance, there was a renewed interest in the arts, and the traditional views of society came into question. People began to explore the power of the human mind. A term often used to describe the increasing interest in the powers of the human mind is humanism. Generally, humanism stresses the individual's creative, reasoning, and aesthetic powers. However, during the Renaissance, individual ideas about humanism differed.
Dante and Boccaccio both Florentine by origin were two of the founders of Modern literature. They both lived in a century when many were killed by the plague and they were inspired by their future works. Many of Dante’s characters are legendary or historical figures but many others were people who Dante knew. As a child he met Beatrice who was not only
Humanism was the main idea of the Renaissance and was influential to people with its ideas. One of its main ideas was education and an importance to the classics, and that plays into the printing press for the reason that people could now learn to read and write more easily and a thirst for education was born. Any person could now learn and this opened a door way that had been locked for the middle class people because now they had the ability to learn and thrive with great minds just as much as the rich. This leads into Scientific Revolution, a major aspect of the “Modern Era” because people wanted to learn more about the world they live in and not just what the Church says, thus creating a curiosity in the people that wasn’t there before.
...in Renaissance Italy deteriorating during invasions, culture persistently continued to impressively flourish as the Renaissance reached its highest artistic expression through its classical models and invention of new artistic customs, which proves how vital culture remained to this point in history. Humanism remained an impacting dominant cultural force in Renaissance Italy, gaining popularity amongst style and customs amongst Italian Renaissance artists and their modernized style of creating art. Historically, an artist’s individuality and consideration for untraditional customs had never been previously assumed imperative until the impacts of Italian Renaissance culture. Not only was the Italian Renaissance a movement associated with Greek and Latin Works, but more importantly it established a strong, forever impacting sense of culture among European history.
The Renaissance was a time of adulation for Humanism, a movement that advocated the intensification of "personal independence," "individual expression," and a renewed élan devoted to the classics. Renaissance, a word meaning rebirth, refers to the cultural epoch wherein Ancient Greek and Roman styles were rediscovered and celebrated as a result of trade expansion and a need for knowledge of lexical works (thus, the popularization of Latin). This attitude concerning rebirth was especially reflected in the multitudes of masterpieces produced up to the sixteenth century: artists expelled certain features from preceding Medieval art and appended their oeuvres with techniques unseen in previous ages. New (or renewed, rather) features were most patent
Dante Alighieri was an Italian philosopher and poet born in 1265. He married Gemma Donati, but was in love with another woman, Beatrice Portinari, who eventually became the backbone and inspiration for his Divine Comedy. Dante was an important political figure holding many posts among which one of the six priors that governed the city of Florence. Some argue that Dante was a power-thirsty politician who banished rivals for political gain, but in 1302, he too fell out of favor and was exiled forever. Dante’s exile had profound implications for the poet. His deep regret and anger at the injustice to which he felt he had been subjected translated into the most creative time of his life, the writing of the three part Divine Comedy. What is noteworthy is that throughout the epic many of Dante’s “rivals” appear as seducers, greedy, lustful, and overall completely immoral people.
The Renaissance era got its name from rinascita, the Italian word for rebirth (Grendler). That rebirth was mostly due to humanism. Humanism is the belief that literature, science, and philosophy are the best guide to learning and living; it soon became a new form of education. Humanism was about teaching pe...
The term Renaissance has, over the years, become synonymous with ideas of expanding civilisation, rebirth, and cultural expansion. The most renowned example of a country’s cultural renaissance was that of the Italians; however this is only one example of such a cultural and philosophical paradigm. To begin with, a “renaissance” is a revolution of the rebirth of ideals within a country’s individuals: self-awareness, art, architecture, religion and science, to name a few. For it is these ideas that have given civilisations the drive and perseverance to rise from a period wrought with fallow and of social, cultural, and economical regression. Many prominent world powers today, and subsequently in the past, have went through a period of renaissance, which was preceded by what many call a dark age; it is through this time of upheaval that the ideas and socio-political philosophies flourished, paving the way towards each nations’ renaissance. To this, the Renaissance should not only be seen as an essential part of European history, but its ideals should also be credited philosophically for improving and influencing different developing societies through the ages.
Dante Alighieri was born in Florence, Italy in 1265 into a noble family. As a young boy, Alighieri’s mother passed away and by the age of nine, he was put into an arranged marriage to Gemma di Manetto Donati although still in love with another girl, Beatrice. On Beatrice’s sudden young death, Alighieri dedicated the Vita Nuova or New Life, a collection of lyrical poems expressing his love for her ...