The Foundational Concept Of The Renaissance

When historians use the term “Renaissance humanism” they are talking about the revival of the “worldly spirit of the ancient Greeks and Romans, which [the humanists] believed had been lost in the Middle Ages.” Humanists liked ancient writings and looked for “guidelines for living life well in this world,” as well as models and styles to follow for their own books and other written works. The humanists thought that the ancient Greeks and Romans had written beautifully and were extremely intelligent, so they wanted to copy their ancient styles and learn about them. Some humanists also began focusing on things that were happening in the world, and ways to enjoy life more on this planet. They stopped looking at religion so much and started focusing

Arguably the greatest and longest impacting movement brought about by the forward thinkers of the Renaissance was humanism. Humanism was a cultural and intellectual movement that emphasized the human potential to attain excellence through direct study of the literature, art, and civilization of the classical Greek and Roman societies (Merriam-Webster). The scholars and believers in humanism sought to change the course of society away from the narrow pedantry of medieval scholasticism and utilitarianism. Humanism was a basic desire for every citizen to be able to speak with eloquence and read and write with clarity, so that common citizens were capable of engaging in the civic life of their communities (Gray). The movement also emphasized the value of a human being as well as the importance of rational thought rather than blind faith in spiritualism or superstition. It also pushed people to explore human desires and pleasures while also enriching their minds. The influential nature of humanism was far reaching and most notable for its effects on Renaissance art, literature, and philosophy.

Humanism also encouraged people to help their society by combining the talents. An example of that can be found in Florence where three humanists served as chancellors of the city. Coluccio Salutati, Leonardo Bruni, and Poggio Bracciolini used rhetorical skills to encourage Florentines to revolt against the aggression of Naples and Milan. Both Bruni and Poggio wrote flattering histories of the city. Leon Battista Alberti, another accomplished humanist scholar, was a noted Florentine architect and builder. They were encouraged to combine their skills in history, art, and literature in their every day lives. This made them see the world with a different perspective, which made them into the individuals they aspired to be.

Nyctophobia; the fear of the dark. However, it’s not exactly the fear of darkness itself, but rather, what could be lurking within it. Now, the Dark Ages weren’t actually “dark”, but it was a time of rapid decline in Europe in which historians don’t have much information. After the fall of the Roman Empire, Europe was thrown into a never ending battle of hardships. From the Black Plague to the loss of beloved heroes and heroines, the country really was left in the dark, until a flicker of hope emerged offering a new beginning: the Renaissance. The Renaissance lasted from the 14th to the 17th century and was an era of “rebirth” in European history. During this period, culture throughout Europe underwent a dramatic reformation where classic

It would make sense that the “Father of Humanism” would be from Florence, the epicenter of the Italian Renaissance. Much of his work had a modern element because he probed his own feelings in his writings. This would go with the Renaissance theme of the rediscovery of human glory due to the fact that Petrarch often looked within himself. Petrarch was also a devote Christian and believed that they meshed well. Petrarch being a Christian humanist agrees with the first article and with the belief of humanists of returning to the sources. I found it surprising how centralized Petrarch’s beliefs were in Christianity considering he was a humanist during the Italian Renaissance. I wouldn’t be surprised if he wrote during the Northern European Renaissance because they were more faith oriented and were known as Christina humanists. Petrarch criticizes his contemporaries and dialecticians on being ignorant of antiquity. He condemns them for mocking ancient philosophers such as Plato, Aristotle, Socrates, and Pythagoras whose works are later glorified during the Renaissance. The fact that these philosophers were later admired and emulated during the Renaissance shows how quickly humanist’s beliefs caught on due to society’s need for culture after the dark Middle

Humanism played a huge role in the Italian Renaissance as it changed the landscape of the Italians. The definition of Humanism is “an outlook or system of thought attaching prime importance to human rather than divine or supernatural matters. Humanist beliefs stress the potential value and goodness of human beings, emphasize common human needs, and seek solely rational ways of solving human problems.” It relation to the Italian humanism It’s the influence of behavior that relate to the goodness of humanity as all humans are good. The Italians were influenced by the romans because the romans have done great things even though in the views of Christian they deserved to go to hell.

One of the main ideas that developed in the Italian Renaissance was Humanism. Humanism started in Italy because the Father of Humanism named Petrarch lived in Italy. Humanism is the idea that humans can attain happiness and should individually strive for achievement in life. A key characteristic of humanism includes a belief in the worth of individual life. Humanistic scholars studied philosophy, literature, and history of classical civilizations.

From art brought on by the Medici family, to literature produced by some of the most well-known and renowned authors, concepts of humanism emerged. This then resulted in a more positive outlook on life during the Italian Renaissance. Moreover, Francesco Petrarch, the “Father of Humanism,” paved the way for successful eras in Florence, the epicenter of the Renaissance. The conditions of Rome as described by both Baldassare Castiglione and Dante Alighieri crucially inspired the artistic and literary Renaissance of Italy. Reviving Rome lead to a faith in humans, allowing revolutions to build off of the past, as opposed to starting from the beginning. Obviously key factors as demonstrated by the infamous writers Baldassare Castiglione and Dante Alighieri forever and crucially impacted western

Burckhardt also argues that the rise of individualism would not have been so significant if it were not for the single family rule of city-states at that time in Italy, or the fact that these rulers were changing so often. He says that individualism would have been impossible under a republican climate, where all citizens would have been working towards the same goal – but, with such an unusual political climate in Italy, people came to view the self as most important. This idea is supported in Francesco Petrarch: To Posterity, a letter that Petrarch, often seen as the founder of humanism, wrote. In this letter Petrarch expresses strong individualist ideas, most notably when he says “…that youth and pleasure are vanity-nay, that the Author

Humanism, which began in Italy sparked new ways of thinking and a strong interest of literary pieces in Greece. A desire to read, write and become educated spread beyond clergy and the elite, to women and children. Suddenly, there was a need to for reading and writing that prompted the establishment of elementary schools all over Europe. Petrarch, the Father of Humanism, believed in classical literature and setup private libraries.

The Renaissance began in Florence, Italy around the 1500’s to about the 1700’s. Florence, Italy was the mecca of this rebirth because at the time Florence was extremely wealthy and the people of the city had political freedom and those new ideals of the Renaissance were not being condemned in Florence as they were other cities. This was a time where the arts and the logic of one’s own mind was valued rather than criticized, the antiquated medieval ideals no longer matched the needs of those who were living during the early Renaissance. Eventually, a term for this way of thinking arose and was called Humanism, and what humanism is, is an ideology where humans can lead themselves to create a prosperous life and instead of leaning on supernatural forces for answers. Humanists believe that humans have enough logic to create conclusions themselves. This brand-new way of thinking caused a lot of controversy because it did question God’s ability and the church’s power, but the ideas behind it are still heavily used today, even in the 21st century. Humanism in the early Renaissance is important because it called for thinking with reason, it allowed an appreciation for human body and mind, inspired authors and caused a shift in power.

Humanism also placed the importance on an individual’s leadership, responsibilities, and their participation in the government. Petrarch is known as the ‘Father of Renaissance Humanism’. That means that he helped shape the doctrine of humanism, and came up with his own view on Humanism and life that affected people and the way they thought about

That being said, one of the earliest and most influential humanist writers was Francesco Petrarch, who also held the title as the founder of humanism. On April 6, 1341, Petrarch was crowned Poet Laureate in the Capitol of Rome, and many historians argue this day as the true beginning of the Renaissance. Petrarch believed that eloquence, ethics, and wisdom were lost during the Middle Ages and was adamant about expressing his hatred for the corruption caused by the people of that period. Petrarch took inspiration from the writings of the ancients, especially Virgil and Cicero. He is a prime example in showing that although humanists still maintained their faith and believed in an afterlife, they felt that their lives on Earth should be rich

Humanism describes the emphasis that was revived in the Renaissance when the Liberal Arts were used to distinguish man from beasts. Through letters--or scholarship--was sought a rebirth of spirit and spiritual freedom and justification of the claim to rational autonomy. In essence, the Renaissance was a revival of the capacities and powers of the ancients.

Many diverse ideas flourished during the European Renaissance which had a lasting impact on the world. Humanism is a worldview and a moral philosophy that considers humans to be of primary importance. The aspect of humanism first thrived in 14th century Italy, and later spread north in the 15th century. Initially humanistic ideas about education were quickly adopted by the Italian upper class. The Italian ideas and attitudes towards life and learning impacted nobility in other parts of Europe. They were able to accept and adapt to this new lifestyle. Humanism during the Renaissance helped to spread ideas about the basic nature of human beings, how people should be educated to become well rounded individuals, and how education impacts an