L1-HUMANISM-NOTES

Renaissance

• Definition: A period of transformation from medieval feudalism to the modern age, marked by the revival of ancient Greco-Roman culture, starting around the 14th century.

• Meaning: "Rebirth."

• Changes: Social, economic, and political changes in Europe.

• Influences: Greco-Roman cultures; a move away from medieval ideas.

Humanism

• Definition: A worldview that places human beings at the center, emphasizing individuality, emotions, reasoning, and worldly life.

• Emergence: Response to medieval scholasticism and Christian theology.

• Emphasis: Rational inquiry and human welfare.

Characteristic Features of Renaissance

• Humanistic perspective.

• Growth of urban life.

• Progress of trade.

• Rise of nation states.

• Individual liberty.

• Rationalism.

• Spread of secular values.

• Monetary economy.

• Importance gained by regional languages.

• Changes in art and science.

Renaissance Contribution to Humanism

• Revival: Revived ancient Greco-Roman culture.

• Inspiration: Inspired critical thinking, rationalism, and secularism.

• Foundation: Spread of classical literature and a focus on individual potential.

Impact of Humanism on Renaissance Art

• Realism and Emotion: Brought realism and emotion into art.

• Focus:

  • Accurate human anatomy.

  • Natural landscapes.

  • Use of perspective and light.

  • Portraying divine figures in idealized human forms.

• Examples: Works of Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael.

Black Death's Role in Humanism's Growth

• Impact: Widespread death and disillusionment.

• Shift: People focused on human wellness and earthly life.

• Approach: Seeking scientific understanding instead of religious explanations.

Humanism's Influence on Renaissance Literature

• Focus:

  • Individual liberty.

  • Human emotions.

  • Secular and rational ideas.

• Language: Writing in regional languages to reach wider audiences.

• Notable Writers: Dante, Petrarch, Boccaccio, Machiavelli.

Renaissance as a Period of Transition

• Changes: Social, economic, and political transformations.

• Influences: Greco-Roman cultures, moving away from medieval ideas.

• Evident Changes: Humanism, urban growth, trade, nation-states, individual liberty, rationalism, secular values, monetary economy, regional languages, art, and science.

• Location: Particularly evident in Italy.

• Significance: Transition from medieval feudalism to the modern age.

Renaissance in Italy

• Cities' Uniqueness: More independent, wealthy, and dynamic compared to other European cities.

• Traders: Knowledgeable about banking and insurance, with expertise in trade.

• Wealth: Many became wealthy through trade.

• Trade Growth: From the 11th century, trade grew, weakening feudalism.

• Italian Cities’ Prosperity: Became rich through trade, especially with Islamic and Byzantine Empires.

• Crusades: Enabled cultural exchange between East and West.

• Geographic Location: Italian cities benefited most due to their location and trade links.

• Black Death: Led to labor shortage, further weakening feudalism.

• Focus Shift: People focused more on individual well-being, encouraging humanism and the rise of a commercial middle class.

• Merchant Families: Wealthy families (like the Medici in Florence) demanded political power.

• Cities: Became centers of political liberty, civic pride, and social unity.

• Fall of Constantinople (1453): Scholars migrated to Italy with Greco-Roman manuscripts, sparking interest in classical knowledge.

• Humanism: Emphasized human values and secular life.

• Patronage: Wealthy patrons supported arts and learning.

• Cultural Hubs: Cities like Florence, Milan, and Venice became cultural hubs.

• Drivers: Trade, wealth, independence, intellectual revival, and humanism.

Disintegration of the Medieval Feudal System

• Commercialization: Commercialization in Europe by the 11th century.

• Decline: Disintegration of the medieval feudal system and decline of religious supremacy.

• Emergence: Rise of a new wealthy class.

• Wealthy Families: Several wealthy families emerged in Italy.

• Political Power: Demanded a share in political power.

• Crusades: Enabled cultural exchange, benefiting Italian cities.

• Black Death: Led to labor shortage, weakening feudalism.

• Focus Shift: People focused on individual well-being, encouraging humanism and the rise of a commercial middle class.

• Merchant Families: Wealthy families demanded political power.

• Cities: Became centers of political liberty, civic pride, and social unity.

• Factors: Economic change, social mobility, intellectual awakening, and challenges to authority.

Impact of the Plague in the 14th Century

• Bubonic Plague: Severely affected Italian cities.

• Black Death: Claimed thousands of lives.

• Labor Shortage: Resulted in a severe shortage in labor.

• Decline of Feudalism: Paved the way for the decline of medieval feudalism.

• Emergence: Facilitated the emergence of a new, commercial middle class.

• Medical Sciences: People began to explore the medical sciences of ancient Greece and Rome.

• Contemplation: The terrors of the plague prompted people to contemplate the fleeting nature of life.

• Wellness Focus: Seek wellness and focus on their own well-being.

• Humanism Emergence: Paved the way for the emergence of humanism.

Impact of the Conquest of Constantinople on the Intellectual Landscape of Italy

• Conquest: In 1453, the Ottoman Turks conquered Constantinople.

• Scholars' Migration: Scholars migrated to Italian cities, bringing manuscripts of ancient Greco-Roman literary works.

• Spread of Research: Research and studies began to spread to libraries.

• Fertile Ground: convergence of wealth and political freedom created a fertile ground for artistic innovation and cultural experimentation.

• Emergence of Ideas: Novel ideas began to emerge in the cultural and intellectual spheres.

Impact of Humanism on World History

• Middle Ages Thinking: Scholasticism focused on religion, God, and the afterlife.

• Learning Basis: Based on Christian beliefs.

• Shift: New idea called Humanism focused on people, their emotions, and real life on Earth.

• Humanist Beliefs: Believed in thinking for yourself, asking questions, and learning about the world.

• God-centered to Human-centered: A big change from a God-centered view to a human-centered view.

• Criticism: Allowed people to criticize old religious ideas and explore new ones.

• Interest: People became very interested in ancient Greek and Roman ideas.

• Spread of Works: Arab scholars helped spread the works of Aristotle and other Greek thinkers to Europe.

• Language & Art: Humanists wrote in local languages and made art and sculptures inspired by Greek and Roman styles.

• New Focus: Instead of showing gods and rich people, they showed real human life and emotions.

• Influence on Areas: Influenced painting, buildings, writing, politics, science, and religion.

Distinctive Features of Renaissance Paintings

• Focus: Beauty of the human form, originality, and a naturalistic use of colors.

• Reflection of Ideals: Humanistic ideals were reflected profoundly.

• Artists: Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael presented human forms with remarkable accuracy and clarity.

• Knowledge of Anatomy: Knowledge about human anatomy facilitated artistic achievement.

• Emphasis: Rationalism and human emotions.

• Values: Significance to the values of this world.

• Precision: Artworks became increasingly precise and realistic.

• Themes: Emphasized theological significance.

• Other Features:

  • Landscapes

  • Use of color to illustrate light and spatial depth

  • Realistic depiction of the human body

  • Use of oil paint

  • Portraits

  • Representation of divine figures in idealized human forms

Common Features of Renaissance Painting and Sculpture

• Realism and Naturalism

  • Human figures looked more lifelike, with real expressions and emotions.

  • Artists studied the human body to show accurate anatomy.

• Use of Perspective

  • Introduced linear perspective to create depth and make scenes look three-dimensional.

• Focus on Human Beings

  • Humans (not just religious figures) became the main subject.

  • Showed ordinary people, their emotions, and daily life.

• Balance and Proportion

  • Figures and objects were well-balanced and proportionate, often based on mathematical principles.

• Classical Influence

  • Inspired by Greco-Roman art—especially in clothing, poses, and themes.

• Use of Light and Shadow

  • Artists used light and dark shading to give a sense of volume and realism.

• Individualism

  • Portraits became popular, showing the unique personality of each subject.

• Secular as well as Religious Themes

  • While religious subjects were still common, artists also explored mythology, history, and everyday life.

William Shakespeare and Humanism

• Quote: “It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves.”

• Reflection of Humanism: Reflects Renaissance Humanism, focusing on human choices.

• Emphasis on Human Control: Goes against the belief in fate; we control our destiny.

• Shift from Medieval Thinking: Shows a big change from God/Church control to individual power.

• Responsibility: Places responsibility in human hands.

• Human Power: People started to think more about human power and less about religious control.

Benefits of Writings in Regional Languages and Prose Forms

• Accessibility: Helps more people read, learn, and express themselves.

• Literacy Improvement: Improves reading and writing skills.

• Cultural Preservation: Local stories and traditions are shared and remembered.

• Expression: Ordinary people can share thoughts and experiences easily.

• Real-Life Problems: Writers can talk about real-life problems in a way everyone understands.

Cassandra Fedele

• Description: Most notable Italian woman humanist and writer.

• Achievements: Earned a name through her writings and speeches.

• Emphasis: Importance of providing higher education to women.

• Correspondence: Maintained correspondence with wealthy Italian lords who championed humanism.

• Popularity: Speeches and writings were printed, published, and popularized.

Influence of the Printing Press

• Role: Played a significant role in popularizing literature.

• Inventor: Johannes Gutenberg established the first printing press in Europe.

• Technology: The printing machine was made of metal and was of movable type.

• Impact:

  • Dissemination of knowledge: Books could be made faster and cheaper.

  • Progress in education and literacy: More people learned to read.

  • Boost to Humanism and New Thinking: Shared widely humanist ideas and classical texts.

  • Challenge to the Church: The Bible was printed in local languages.

  • Cultural Exchange: Writers and thinkers could share their work.

Masaccio

• Impact: Created a profound impact on artists.

• Style: Wall paintings with round shapes that seemed to protrude from the surface.

• Subject: Showcased human figures engaging in everyday life experiences.

Leonardo da Vinci

• Famous Paintings: ‘The Last Supper’ and ‘Mona Lisa’.

• Unique Harmony: Harmonizes color, shadow, and light.

• Versatile Genius: Scientifically studied the human body.

• The Last Supper: Vivid emotions of Christ's disciples are etched.

• Mona Lisa: Enigmatic expressions conceal many unanswered questions.

Michelangelo

• Cemented Status: Paintings on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel and 'The Last Judgment'.

• Features: Powerful and graceful human forms.

Donatello

• Iconic Sculpture: 'David,' a bronze sculpture.

• Depiction: Showcases a youthful figure standing with his weight shifted onto one leg.

Michelangelo's Sculptures

• Deviation: Depicted Gods in human forms, deviated from the Greco-Roman style.

• Renowned Works: 'Pietà,' portrays Virgin Mary with Jesus Christ and 'David.'

Historiography During the Renaissance

• Transition: From medieval Christian tradition to a secular life and thought.

• Shift in Perspective: From divinely ordained events to human-centered explanations.

• Focus: Human life became the focus of historical narratives.

• Importance of Evidence: Growing importance of archaeological evidence and relics.

• Emphasis: Historians began to place greater emphasis on evidence such as inscriptions, coins, and ancient manuscripts.

• Collection Efforts: Efforts to collect and preserve ancient manuscripts intensified.

• Critical Thinking: Gained significance in history.

• Scientific Enquiry: Replaced stories and myths.

• Contributions: Machiavelli's contributions are noteworthy.

Renaissance Science and Modern Society

• Beginning of Modern Science: The Renaissance marked the beginning of modern science.

• Astronomy Changes: Planets move because of physical forces.

• Geocentric Model: Challenged by Nicolaus Copernicus who proposed a heliocentric model.

• Copernicus' Theory: The Sun, not Earth, is at the center.

• Developments: Galileo Galilei and Johannes Kepler built on Copernicus' ideas.

• Kepler's Findings: Planets move at different speeds based on their distance from the Sun.

• Galileo's Discoveries: Discovered moons of Jupiter and rings of Saturn.

• Medicine: Paracelsus researched diseases and cures.

• Anatomy: Andreas Vesalius made contributions through dissection.

Reformation and Humanism

• Humanist Influence: Humanists like Erasmus and reformers like John Wycliffe criticized the Catholic Church.

• Indulgences: Criticism of the sale of indulgences.

• Martin Luther: Protested indulgences, beginning the Protestant Reformation.

• Ninety-Five Theses: Nailed to the door of Wittenberg Cathedral.

• Spread: Reformation spread with support from universities and rulers.

• Leaders: Huldrych Zwingli and John Calvin.

• England: King Henry VIII led the Reformation, forming the Anglican Church.

Counter Reformation

• Catholic Church Response: Started its reform movement called the Counter-Reformation.

• Council of Trent: Church leaders held the Council of Trent in Northern Italy.

• Changes: Banned the sale of indulgences and published The Index.

• The Society of Jesus: Started by Ignatius Loyola, played a key role.

• Impact: Helped correct many problems in the Church; also called the Catholic Reformation.

Humanism and Renaissance Literature

• Renaissance Definition: Cultural, intellectual, and artistic revival in Europe.

• Humanism Definition: Philosophy focused on the value, dignity, and potential of human beings.

• Importance: Renaissance writers gave importance to individual liberty and secular values.

• Basic Characteristic: Breaking away from scholasticism.

• Influence: Influenced by ancient Greco-Roman culture.

• Language: Writers chose to produce their works in regional languages.

• Prose Literature: Gained prominence.

• Dante: The Divine Comedy.

• Petrarch: Sonnets addressing Laura.

• Boccaccio: The Decameron.

• William Shakespeare: Explored human nature.

• Niccolò Machiavelli: