Renaissance Background - Class Notes

1. The Renaissance
One of the most creative periods in history occurred in Europe around 1350–1700.
This cultural revival is known as the Renaissance (meaning “rebirth”).
The English Renaissance was a cultural and artistic movement spanning from the later 15th century until the early 17th
century. It was a product of the Italian Renaissance which started in the 14th century. Like most of northern Europe,
England did not get the full effect of the Renaissance until about a century later, and the height of the English
Renaissance is considered to be in the Elizabethan Era (1558–1603) named after Queen Elizabeth I who ruled England
1558-1603.
"Renaissance," French for "rebirth," perfectly describes the intellectual and economic changes that occurred in Europe
from the fourteenth through the sixteenth centuries. During this period, there was a passion for knowledge. Before the
Renaissance period, scholars had mostly studied the teachings of the Church, but during this period, scholars
rediscovered ancient philosophers and writers and sought inspiration from the past. At the heart of the Renaissance lies
the massive renewal of interest in the writings of ancient Greece and Rome, some of which were literally rediscovered
in medieval monasteries. These ancient writings seemed to show the greater sophistication and learning of ancient
cultures, which came to represent ideals of the Renaissance period.
Also at its core, The Renaissance was a time when the ordered social structures of the Middle Ages began to break
down, capitalism began to take root, and individual identity increased in importance.
During this period, Europe emerged from the economic sluggishness of the Middle Ages and experienced a time of
financial growth. Also, and perhaps most importantly, the Renaissance was an age in which artistic, social, scientific, and
political thought turned in new directions. The Renaissance was not only a rebirth of society; it was an age of new
discoveries - both geographical and intellectual. Europe was discovering the Americas and settling there, expanding
their horizons. From the 15th century onwards, people were challenging everything they knew: Copernicus challenged
science, Martin Luther challenged religion, and so on.
In the feudal structure of the Middle Ages, the nobles who lived in the country provided the king with protection in
exchange for land. Peasants worked the land for the nobles, for which they received protection and their own small
parcels of land. These rural peasants worked from sunup to sundown, but even the nobles had few creature comforts. In
feudal cities, where there was a small middle-class population, life was a little easier and individuals had the freedom to
pursue whatever trade or industry they liked. In the late Middle Ages, when the threat of invasion from barbarians had
lessened, people left the country for towns and cities so they could engage in more profitable pursuits.
The Plague Begins
Life in the city was soon to change drastically. During the late Middle Ages and early Renaissance (1350-1450) the
Bubonic Plague, also called the "Black Death," devastated one half of the population of Europe. The plague, which was
almost always fatal, spread most rapidly in cities, where people were in close contact with each other. The only way to
avoid the disease was to leave the city for the country. This solution was, unfortunately, available only to those wealthy
enough to make the trip.
The Plague's Effect on the Economy
The urban population decrease caused by the plague led to an economic depression. Merchants and tradespeople had
fewer customers to buy their products. Economic hardship spread throughout the cities.
As cases of the plague decreased in the late fifteenth century, populations grew, creating a new demand for goods and
services. A new middle class began to emerge, and bankers, merchants, and tradespeople once again had a market for
their goods and services.
The New Middle Class
As the fortunes of merchants, bankers, and tradespeople improved, they had more than enough money to meet their
basic needs for food, clothing, and shelter. They began to desire larger, more luxurious homes, fine art for these

2. residences, lavish clothing to show off their wealth in public, and exotic delicacies to eat. These desires of the middle
class stimulated the economy.
As a result of the newly accumulated wealth, the middle-class population also began to have leisure time to spend on
education. In fact, education was essential for many middle-class professions. Bankers and accountants needed to
understand arithmetic. Those trading with other countries needed knowledge of foreign currencies and languages.
Reading was essential for anyone who needed to understand a contract. In their leisure time, middle class also now had
time and money to spend on entertainment. They enjoyed such pastimes as reading for pleasure, learning to play
musical instruments, and studying a variety of topics unrelated to their businesses merely for entertainment – the
luxuries of a middle class life.
A Major Invention
When Gutenberg invented the printing press in 1445, he forever changed the lives of people in Europe and eventually,
all over the world. Previously, bookmaking entailed copying all the words and illustrations by hand. Often the copying
had been done on parchment, animal skin that had been scraped until it was clean, smooth, and thin. The labor that
went into creating them made each book very expensive. Because Gutenberg's press could produce books quickly and
with relatively little effort, bookmaking became much less expensive, allowing more people to buy reading material.
The Demand for Books Grows
In the Middle Ages, books had been costly and education rare; only the clergy had been regular readers and owners of
books. Most books had been written in Latin, considered the language of scholarship. In the Renaissance, the educated
middle classes, who could now afford books, demanded works in their own languages. Furthermore, readers wanted a
greater variety of books. Almanacs, travel books, chivalry romances, and poetry were all published at this time.
Simultaneously, a means of printing music was also invented, making sheet music available at a reasonable cost. As the
demand for books grew, the book trade began to flourish throughout Europe, and industries related to it, such as
papermaking, thrived as well. The result of all of this was a more literate population and a stronger economy.
Humanism Emerges
The new increased availability and affordability of books led to increased knowledge in many fields. For example, a new
philosophy emerged when Renaissance scholars known as Humanists looked back to the works of ancient writers.
Previously, during the Middle Ages, scholars had been guided by the teachings of the Church, and people had concerned
themselves primarily with actions leading to heavenly rewards. Therefore, the writings of ancient, pagan (pre-Christian)
Greece and Rome, called the "classics," had been greatly ignored.
To study the classics, Humanists learned to read Greek and ancient Latin, and they sought out manuscripts that had lain
undisturbed for nearly 2,000 years. Renaissance Humanists rediscovered writings on scientific matters, government,
rhetoric, philosophy, and art. They were influenced by the knowledge of these ancient civilizations and by the emphasis
placed on man, his intellect, and his life on Earth.
A Cultural Movement - The Humanist Philosophy
Humanism was a philosophy that emerged during the Renaissance; it encouraged people to become educated in the
classical arts, literature, and science. Humanism encouraged realism and human emotion in art – not just religious
imagery. Humanism also approved the pursuit of comfort, riches, and beauty – luxuries before only afforded to the
Church.
The new interest in secular/non-religious life led to beliefs about education and society that came from ancient Greece
and Rome. Humanists believed that the Church should not rule civic matters, but should guide only spiritual matters.
The Church rejected the accumulation of wealth and worldly goods, supported a strong but limited education, and
believed that moral/ethical behavior was dictated by scripture.

3. Humanists, however, believed that wealth enabled them to do noble deeds, that good citizens needed a well-rounded
education (such as that advocated by ancient Greeks and Romans), and that moral and ethical issues were related more
to secular/non-religious society than to spiritual concerns.
Spiritual Matters
During the Renaissance, Martin Luther changed Christianity. On October 31, 1517, he went to his church in the town of
Wittenburg, Germany and posted a list of 95 items that worried him about the Church. His list included the church's
corrupt practice of selling “indulgences”, reductions in the amount of time one’s soul must spend in purgatory after
death for his/her confessed sins. Indulgences were purchased by church members, and the Church got rich! Luther’s
request for reform – the “95 Theses” - ignited the Protestant Reformation. Several new Christian religions were
established during this time as a result. The old Church became known as Roman Catholic Church and new Christian
sects were known by their leaders-- among them Lutherans (Luther) and Calvinists (John Calvin).
Literature
The rebirth of classical studies of the ancient Greeks and Romans contributed to the development of all forms of art
during the Renaissance. Literature began to show signs of classical influence.
Music
Renaissance composers also incorporated the classics into their craft. By studying Greek drama, they discovered the art
of making their music reflect the lyrics in their songs--making music sound happy for words of joy and sorrowful for
words of grief. When they learned that ancient Greek drama brought the audience to tears with its sad music,
Renaissance composers tried to re-create that theatrical experience. Their efforts eventually resulted in the birth of
opera.
Painting
Artists became fascinated by the human body. To celebrate its beauty, they turned away from the formal drawing style
of the Middle Ages and adopted a more realistic, natural style. Paintings of the Renaissance
demonstrate the application of Humanistic ideals learned from the ancients. In works from the
Middle Ages, saints and Biblical figures are arranged in unnatural, geometric groups, and
backgrounds are nothing more than washes of gold. Renaissance painters depicted the human
figure as realistically as possible, often with backgrounds of the natural world. Mona Lisa - perhaps
the world's most famous painting - was painted during the Renaissance by Leonardo da Vinci.
The term “Renaissance Man” refers to a person who is educated and talented in many areas –
knowledgeable in many fields. The true geniuses of the Renaissance were great examples of this. Leonardo da Vinci was
a master painter, sculptor, scientist, inventor, architect, engineer, and writer. Michelangelo - a superb painter, sculptor,
and architect.
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William Shakespeare was born in 1564 right in the midst of the Renaissance, and many of his works reflect the
Renaissance ideals such as…
• Influence of classical texts - The influence of the Latin poet Ovid on Shakespeare is particularly well-known. Ovid’s
stories are influential in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and The Tempest.
Shakespeare is also known to have been influenced by the Roman playwright Seneca, and the Greek historian
Plutarch whose research was used to write The Tragedy of Julius Caesar.
• Religious conflict – A non-religious, even atheistic, point of view can be detected in some of Shakespeare’s works.
Mythology and superstitions of Pre-Christian Greece and Rome appear as often as Christian religious ideas. Some
scholars suggest this is reflective of Shakespeare’s commitment to reforming Christianity/ridding it of corruption.
• Rise of Realism and the Rise of the Individual - The Renaissance is often seen as a time when the ordered social
structures of the Middle Ages began to break down, capitalism began to take root, and individual identity became
more important. This is reflected in Shakespeare’s portrayal of distinctive individuals from all classes of society. The
nurse in Romeo and Juliet and the porter in Macbeth are examples of interesting characters belonging to the lower
orders of society, showing Shakespeare’s desire for realism and interest in the value of individuality.

4. • The Value of Fame – An important characteristic of the Renaissance was an increased concern with worldly fame.
Many poets, for instance came to desire fame, not just in the sense of being famous in their own society, but in the
sense of achieving something that would last and be respected by future generations. This concern for literary
immortality during this period came to replace traditional Christian notions of immortality among some sections of
society.
Shakespeare’s works also expresses this concern for literary glory. Many of the Shakespeare’s sonnets, such as
number 55 and the famous number 43 (“Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?”) describe the way in which these
poems themselves will live on through future generations. This concern can also be found in Shakespeare’s plays. In
Hamlet, Hamlet’s last words express concern about the “wounded name” that will outlive him. He therefore asks
Horatio to stay alive to ensure he is remembered well by future generations: “in this harsh world”, he tells Horatio,
“draw thy breath in pain, to tell my story.”
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Watch for these central ideals of the Renaissance in The Tragedy of Julius Caesar!