Renaissance 1300-1600s

Historical Parallels

● Exploration of the new world● Post-plague

o New wealthy middle class who are interested in patronizing art

● The printing press was invented

Tenet 1Humanism- Humans are more important than the supernatural

SHIFT: God is of central importance→Humans have central importance

"This above all: to thine own self be true". - (Act I, Scene III, Hamlet, Shakespeare)

Connection to the poem?

Tenet 2:Classical Revival- Renewed interest in Greco-Roman antiquity and the rejection of the medieval.

SHIFT: Mystic and supernatural→Classical themes and style

Classical Revival in ArtMichelangelo’s David● Classical Style- The

standing, nude male hero

● Classical story inspiration- David and Goliath

Pietà (Vesperbild)● Late medieval sculpture● Mysticism ● Covered

Tenet 3:Exploration● With the discovery of the new world, previous notions of what

could and could not be done disappeared.● This allowed writers to imagine the about great unknown.

o Shift: Realistic veering away from reality/expanded where they could go figuratively

● "Being marooned in this way was altogether agreeable to [Hythloday], as he was more eager to pursue his travels than afraid of death. He would often say 'The man who has no grave is covered by the sky' and 'The road to heaven is equally short from all places.'" (1.10)

Tenet 4:

A Focus on Pleasure of the Senses● Society became more intrigued with money, the

enjoyment of life and worldly indulgences● They believed that truth is achieved through reason and

evidence experienced by the senseso Shift: Christian humility and passivity inner

virtue and value led to enlightenment

Tenet 5:Critical and Rational Spirit

● The Renaissance era saw key analytical thinking emerge, alongside reasoning and problem solving. Some of the greatest philosophers and polymaths emerged from this era.

● da Vinci, Michelangelo, Galileo

● These polymaths drew in ideas, and wrote of them, expanding the literature of the era and influencing other poets and authors.

● Connection to poem?

Tenet 6:Revival of Platonic Ideas- Society recommenced the concept of courtships and suiting their spouses, instead of coordinated business contracts.

● SHIFT: scarce romantic texts → ideas of love and courtship

● “My bounty is as boundless as the sea, My love as deep; the more I give to thee, The more I have, for both are infinite.” (Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, 2.2)

● Connection to poem?

PoemSonnet 75 by Edmund SpenserOne day I wrote her name upon the strand,But came the waves and washed it away:Agayne I wrote it with a second hand,But came the tyde, and made my paynes his pray."Vayne man," sayd she, "that doest in vaine assay.A mortall thing so to immortalize,For I my selve shall lyke to this decay,and eek my name bee wyped out lykewize.""Not so," quod I, "let baser things devize,To dy in dust, but you shall live by fame:My verse your vertues rare shall eternize,And in the heavens wryte your glorious name.Where whenas death shall all the world subdew,Our love shall live, and later life renew."