Writers of the Renaissance

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Humanism: A New Look at Life

Humanism1) Humanities education2) Greco-Roman culture / style3) Individualism4) Secular

Contrast to Middle AgesGroup think vs. Individualism

PetrarchDate, Place, Description•1300s•Florence / Avignon•Family background•“Father of Humanism”•Classical humanist

Famous Works•Canzoniere – dedicated to “Laura”

Writer

Francesco Petrarca

Petrarch

Blessed may be the day, the month, the

year,And the season, the time, the hour, the

point,And the country, the

place where I was joined

By two fair eyes that now have tied me here.

Sonnet 61

Dante AlighieriDate, Place, Description•1300s•Florence, Italy•Exiled from Florence and his work was a social commentary•“The Supreme Poet”

Famous Works•The Divine Comedy• Hell• Purgatory• Heaven

Writer

Dante Alighieri

Dante

BoccaccioDate, Place, Description•1300s•Florence•Family background•Vernacular humanist, friend of Petrarch•Wrote in prose

Famous Works•Decameron

Writer

Giovanni Boccaccio

BoccaccioIt was the common practice of most of

the neighbours, moved no less by fear of contamination by the putrefying bodies than by charity towards the deceased, to drag the corpses out of the houses with their own hands, aided, perhaps, by a porter, if a porter was to be had, and to lay them in front of the doors, where any one who made the round might have seen, especially in the morning, more of them than he could count; afterwards they would have biers brought up, or, in default, planks, whereon they laid them.

From the Introduction of Decameron

CastiglioneDate, Place, Description•Late 1400 – Early 1500•Milan, Italy•Italian Courtier, Diplomat, soldier and writer

Famous Works•The Book of the Courtier, or The Courtier

Writer

Baldassare Castiglione

CastiglioneAnd therefore will I have him to be of a good shape, and well proportioned in his limbs, and to show strength, lightness, and quickness, and to have understanding in all exercises of the body that belong to a man of war. And herein I think the chief point is to handle well all kind of weapon both for footman and horseman, and to know the vantages in it. And especially to be skillful on those weapons that are used ordinarily among gentlemen, for beside the use that he shall have of them in war, where peradventure needeth no great cunning, there happen oftentimes variances between one gentleman and another, whereupon ensueth a combat. And many times it shall stand him in stead to use the weapon which he hath at that instant by his side. . . .

From The Courtier

MachiavelliDate, Place, Description•Late 1400 – Early 1500•Family background•de Medici family ties•Diplomat, writer, philosopher,

Famous Works•The Prince, 1513•Political philosophy

Writer

Niccolo Machiavelli

Machiavelli• A prince never lacks

legitimate reasons to break his promise.

• Before all else, be armed.

• It is better to be feared than loved, if you cannot be both.

• Politics have no relation to morals.

ErasmusDate, Place, Description•Late 1400 – Early 1500•Child of a priest (bastard)•Priest and humanist who focused on a pure and simple Christian life•His work encouraged discontent with the Roman Catholic Church

Famous Works•In the Praise of Folly

Writer

Desidirius Erasmus

MoreDate, Place, Description•Late 1400 – Early 1500•From England•Advisor to King Henry VIII•English statesman and humanist author•Criticized the English Government and society

Famous Works•Utopia

Writer

Sir Thomas More

ShakespeareDate, Place, Description•1500s to early 1600s•Inspired by ancient and contemporary works of literature•Used natural science and humanist topics which were expressed through his plays•Themes of his great works reached all people

Famous Works•Romeo and Juliet•A Midsummer’s Night Dream•Macbeth•Hamlet•Sonnets

Writer

William Shakespeare

Classroom AdvisorsImagine that you were given the opportunity

to advise a ruler, what would you say to him or her? Would you adopt Machiavellian views on leadership, or would you advise a different more moral/generous approach? Think about this, because you get a chance to advise me, the ruler of this kingdom (Belladonia) on how I should govern this kingdom.

I need advice on:1. Homework2. Punctuality3. Talking in class

Instructions• Write a paper on how I should set up my

policies on homework, punctuality, and talking in class.

• In Machiavellian prose/terms, explain how the class should run, how the teacher should be, and what should happen if the rules are broken.

• This should be a one page paper, single spaced. It must be turned in to turnitin.com.

• If you use ANY outside sources, please cite in MLA format.

• Due: October 2nd/3rd

How Machiavellian are you?Statements Agree Undecide

dDisagree

1. Most people are honest

2. Most people think first of their pocket-books and later about right and wrong

3. To get someone to like you, tell that person what he/she wants to hear.

4. The best way to earn someone's respect is to be kind and honest

5. The best way to earn someone's loyalty is show him or her your power.

6. There are no absolute rights and wrongs. "Right" is what works.

7. A good president reads the polls to find out what people want and makes those things his policies.

8. Most people are extremely selfish.

9. A promise is a sacred trust.

10. Nice guys finish last.

If your Machiavellian Score Is: 10-23 (Type A)

You are not at all Machiavellian. Some would say you are an idealist and an optimist about human nature. You have strong ideas about right and wrong.

24-36 (Type B) You are more cautious about trusting human nature and less idealistic than those above. You know that selfishness can sometimes get in the way of lofty ideals.

37-50 (Type C) You are extremely Machiavellian. Practical to the point of being a hard-headed cynic, not very trusting about human nature, and ready to deal with what is, rather than what ought to be.