Manuscripts By Classical Authors example essay topic

The changes brought about by the Renaissance happened gradually and did not immediately affect most Europeans. Even at the height of the movement, which occurred during the late 1400's and early 1500's, relatively few people accepted the new ideas. But the influence of the Renaissance on future generations was to prove immense in many fields -- from art and literature to education, political science, and history. For centuries, most scholars have agreed that the modern era of human history began with the Renaissance. Humanism was the most significant intellectual movement of the Renaissance. It blended concern for the history and actions of human beings with religious concerns.

The humanists were scholars and artists who studied subjects that they believed would help them better understand the problems of humanity. These subjects included literature and philosophy. The humanists shared the view that the civilizations of ancient Greece and Rome had excelled in such subjects and thus could serve as models. They believed that people should understand and appreciate classical antiquity to learn how to conduct their lives. The interest of the humanists in ancient Greece and Rome led them to search for manuscripts, statues, coins, and other surviving examples of classical civilization. For example, they combed monastery libraries throughout Europe, locating on dusty shelves long-neglected manuscripts by classical authors.

The humanists carefully studied these manuscripts, prepared critical editions of them, and often translated them. During the Middle Ages, painters and sculptors tried to give their works a spiritual quality. They wanted viewers to concentrate on the deep religious meaning of their paintings and sculptures. They were not concerned with making their subjects appear natural or lifelike. But Renaissance painters and sculptors, like Renaissance writers, wanted to portray people and nature realistically. Architects of the Middle Ages designed huge cathedrals to emphasize the majesty and grandeur of God.

Renaissance architects designed buildings on a smaller scale to help make people aware of their own powers and dignity. During the early 1300's, the Florentine painter Giotto became the first artist to portray nature realistically. He produced magnificent frescoes for churches in Florence, Padua, and Assisi. Giotto attempted to create lifelike figures showing real emotions.

He portrayed many of his figures in realistic settings. As Petrarch and Boccaccio studied the rediscovered classical writings, they tried to imitate the styles of the ancient authors. They urged that people express themselves accurately and elegantly, characteristics they saw in classical literary style. Petrarch became known for his poetry, and Boccaccio for his collection of stories called the Decameron. In their works, they tried to describe human feelings and situations that people could easily understand. Petrarch and Boccaccio insisted that the duty of intellectuals was to concentrate on human problems, which they believed were more important than an understanding of the mysteries of nature or of God's will.

They thought that people could learn how to deal with their problems by studying the lives of individuals of the past. Renaissance is a French word that means "rebirth", and it is used to describe the period of European history that stretched from 1340 to 1600. During this time enormous changes took place in what people wrote, in their paintings, sculptures, and architecture, and, indeed in every aspect of life. It seemed as though man's spirit was being reborn.