How were Italian Renaissance attitudes reflected in humanism? What attitude did the humanists take toward the Middle Ages? toward the Greek and Romans? Why?
The Italian Renaissance attitudes were reflected in the he humanists, unlike earlier scholars, they were mostly not members of the clergy. Humanists also found a new appreciation for the classic style of Latin such as Cicero or Livy used (as opposed to the Medieval style of Latin). They began to discuss new interests, sensibility, and political and civil questions. In relation to their own time, humanists adopted the use of the vernacular in influential works like Dante’s Divine Comedy. With the ability to read works like this, humanism and a new love of literature spread throughout Europe. Humanists thought it best to better society as a whole in ways like that. Another example is how they began founding schools. The Humanists greatly admired the Greeks and Romans because of their appreciation for rhetoric, learning and their focus on the abilities of humans.
Italian Renaissance: Humanism
Latin - mainly the language they used (even though they weren’t clergy members)
preferred the classical style (Cicero,Livy,etc.)
saw Medieval Latin as monkish and barbaric
Greco-Roman Influences
new interests
new sensibility
discussion of political and civil questions (ex. “what would world be like without the overarching framework of religious belief?”)
found importance in learning Greek - ability to read Greek works
The Vernacular - improving Medieval life
became the first to standardize the many dialects and adapted a more complex written language that could be broadcasted to all three estates
Dante’s Divine Comedy - best example of work done in the vernacular
humanists also established schools to better society
Petrarch - “the first man of letters’
writings show the complex, contradictory attitudes of the Italian Renaissance
loved Cicero for his commitment to political liberty
loved St. Augustine for his vision of the City of God
introduced writing sonnets
made literature a moral philosophy of sorts and no longer a subordinate to religion
Other Important writers
Boccaccio - Decameron - stresses human character and behavior
Bruni - adopted a flowing narrative form - meant to inspire readers to a life of commitment and participation
Lorenzo Valla - one of the founders of textual criticism
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