Paper no. – 105 : (A) : History of English Literature – (From 1350-1900) M.A Sem-1

1.  Presented by : Chandani Pandya
 Department of English MKBU
 Presentation Topic : The Renaissance : The ‘Rebirth’-
of Science & Culture.
 Paper no. – 105 : (A) : History of English Literature –
(From 1350-1900)
 M.A Sem-1
 Roll no. – 06
 Batch – 2020-2022
 Email ID :- pandyachandani11@gmail.com

2.  Introduction
 The Renaissance typically refers to a period in European
history approximately between 1400 and 1600. Many
historians assert that it started earlier or ended later,
depending on the country. It bridged the periods of the
Middle Ages and modern history, and, depending on the
country, overlaps with the Early Modern, Elizabethan and
Restoration periods. The Renaissance is most closely
associated with Italy, where it began in the 14thcentury,
though countries such as Germany, England and France
went through many of the same cultural changes and
phenomena.

3. Historical developement
 Contrary to popular belief, classical texts and knowledge never
completely vanished from Europe during the Middle Ages. Charles
Homer Haskins wrote in "The Renaissance of the Twelfth Century"
that there were three main periods that saw resurgences in the art and
philosophy of antiquity: the Carolingian Renaissance, which occurred
during the reign of Charlemagne, the first emperor of the Holy
Roman Empire (eighth and ninth centuries), the Ottonian Renaissance,
which developed during the reigns of emperors Otto I, Otto II and
Otto III (10thcentury) and the 12thCentury Renaissance.

4.  The 14th century plague known as the Black Death is thought to have killed up
to 60 percent of the population in parts of Europe. This image, from a Flemishillu-
strated manuscript of 1349, shows plague victims being buried in the city of
Tournai, now in Belgium. (Image credit: Royal Museums of Fine Arts, Brussels)
 The Black Death helped set the stage for the Renaissance, wrote Robert S.
Gottfried in "The Black Death." Deaths of many prominent officials caused social
and political upheaval in Florence, where the Renaissance is considered to have
begun. The Medici family moved to Florence in the wake of the plague.

5.  Characteristic of the Renaissance
 The printing press
"The demand for perfect reproductions of texts
and the renewed focus on studying them helped
trigger one of the biggest discoveries in the whole
of human history: printing with movable type. For
me this is the easiest and single greatest developed
of the Renaissance and allowed modern culture to
develop," Wilde told Live Science. The printing
press was developed in Europe by Johannes
Gutenberg in 1440. It allowed Bibles, secular
books, printed music and more to be made in
larger amounts and reach more people.

6.  Intellectual movements
Classicism : Celebrating the
glory and power of
Humans and the
Individual!
Secularism :
Seen in the
intellectual
thoughts, art, and
architecture
Of the time.
Humanism :
Return to the ideals
Greece and Rome
Interest in non-religi-
Ous and enjoyment
of worldly pleasures
Intellectual movements
At the heart of the
Italian Renaissance

7.  Art
 Renaissance art was heavily influenced by classical art, wrote Virginia Cox in
"A Short History of the Italian Renaissance." Artists turned to Greek and Roman
sculpture, painting and decorative arts for inspiration and also because their
techniques meshed with Renaissance humanist philosophy. Both classical and
Renaissance art focused on human beauty and nature. People, even when in
religious works, were depicted living life and showing emotion. Perspective and light
and shadow techniques improved and paintings looked more three-dimensional
and realistic.

8.  Literature
 Renaissance literature, too, was characterized by humanist themes
and a return to classical ideals of tragedy and comedy, according
to the Brooklyn College English Department. Shakespeare's works,
especially "Hamlet," are good examples of this. Themes like
human agency, life's non-religious meanings and the true nature
of man are embraced, and Hamlet is an educated Renaissance man.

9.  Religion
 Due to a number of factors — including the Black Death, the rise
in trade, the development of a middle class and the papacy's
temporary move from Rome to Avignon (1309-1377) the Catholic
Church's influence was waning as the 15thcentury began. The re-
emergence of classical texts and the rise in Renaissance humanism
changed society's approach to religion and the authority of the papacy,
said Abernethy. "[Humanism] created an atmosphere that gave rise to
different movements and sects … Martin Luther stressed reform of
the Catholic Church, wanting to eliminate practices such as nepotism
and the selling of indulgences,“ Abernethy said.

10. Thank you

11.  References
 The Renaissance: Excerpts from "Medieval and Modern History," by Philip Van Ness M
 History World: The Renaissance
 Annenberg Learner: The Renaissance
 Pater, Walter. Studies in the History of the Renaissance. London: Macmillan, 1873