Chapter 13 Essay Test

Explain the ways in which Italian Renaissance humanism transformed ideas about the
individual’s role in society.
Notes
• Revival of antiquity that took form in the study of the Latin Classics
• Humanism-“new learning”
• Literary culture needed by anyone who would be considered educated and
civilized
• Discovery of what the Latin Classics could reveal about human nature
• Emphasized human beings, their achievements, interests and capabilities
• Deeply Christian but approached the classics differently
• Skeptical of authority, conscious of the historical distance separating themselves
from the ancients and fully aware that classical writings often disagree
• Viewed humanity from a strongly Christian perspective
• Created in the imagine and likeness of God  On The Dignity of Man, Pico Della
Mirandola
• Stressed realization of human potential
• Know a little about a lot of different things
• Strive for perfection
• Secularism basic concern with the material world instead of with the eternal
world of spirits
• Not opposed to spirituality but life should be enjoyed and goals achieved
• There are no right and wrong ways to live
• Learn from the past antiquity
• Idealism- stressed personality, uniqueness, genius and full development of one’s
capabilities and talents
• Quest for glory
Thesis: Renaissance humanists’ transformed ideas about the individual’s role in
society by emphasizing human beings, their achievements, interests and capabilities.
 The Renaissance brought a rebirth to many classical ideas especially those of
Latin dissent. Renaissance thinking and ideas led to the emergence of many distinct
people who glorified their uniqueness. One of these men is Francesco Petrarch who
became the father of humanism. He stressed the idea of free will and deciding your own
path or future. Life is not predetermined. The new modern lifestyle also known as
humanism brought a new view of human life. This new attitude towards men, women and
the world can be described as an attitude of individualism. People of this time period
began to see the importance of the human potential and strove for perfection. Even
though there was much concern about the human spirit, Christianity still remained
important. Renaissance humanists’ transformed ideas about the individual’s role in
society by emphasizing human beings, their achievements, interests and capabilities.
The revival of antiquity during the Renaissance became known as humanism or
“new learning”. Humanists studied Latin Classics to learn what they reveal about human
nature. They approached all new learning’s from a Christian perspective and reject all
those ideas that go against Christianity. Humanists began to live their lives more fully
and enjoyed life but they never forgot their faith. The ideas of being created in the image
and likeness of God became a leading theme for the humanist movement. In Mirandola’s
essay, On the Dignity of Man, he stressed that man possesses great dignity because God
has made him. Humanists viewed human beings very highly and stressed the realization
of their true potential. Anything can be accomplished in life as long as you put effort into
everything you do. A new idea of intelligence was formed and people began to learn a
little about a lot of different topics. Humanism was concerned with a holistic view of
humanity.
Idealism and secularism are two main components of the Humanist movement.
Idealism stressed personality, uniqueness, genius and full development of one’s
capabilities and talents. A strong scene of individualism changed many people’s views of
society and of themselves. A person’s abilities should be stretched until fully realized.
The quest for glory was a central component of Renaissance individualism. Cellini’s life
is an example of individualism. He decided his own future and even left his town to
fulfill his dreams. Secularism is the basic concern with the material world instead of with
the eternal world of spirits. This does not mean they were opposed to spiritually but life
should be enjoyed and goals achieved. There was no right and wrong ways to live as long
as you live up to your fully potential.

Compare the ways in which the following two works of art reproduced below express the
artistic, philosophical and cultural values of the Renaissance.

Notes
• Main characteristics of High Renaissance art-classical balance, harmony, and
restraint
• Art served as an educational purpose
• Artistic
• Classical themes and motifs
• Subject matter overly religious  like the humanist movement, Mirandola
created in the image and likeness of God, importance of God’s creation,
glorifying human beings
• New relationship with God  In Sistine Chapel, God is reaching out to man, God
is approachable, humans a worth something
• Can change your life and follow your dreams
• David  perfect man, biblical figure, role model
• Realism-treatment of the human body and face replaced the formal stiffness and
artificiality that had for so long characterized representation of the human body
• Philosophical and cultural
 • Art expresses humanism-learning form the past antiquity
• Idealism-uniqueness genius and full development of one’s capabilities and talents
• Express Free will as Petrarch, the father of humanism, stressed
• Ren. You can pick your path of life, like the artist of the painting Michelangelo
did
The Renaissance artist Michelangelo expresses the ideals of humanism,
individualism, and the cultural values of the Renaissance through his works of
David and The Sistine Chapel.