Renaissance 1

Renaissance
Many factors have characterized many stages of history. One of them was
Renaissance, mainly known as the cultural movement that would later on lead to
Enlightenment. During this time period many ideas and regulations that were imposed
previously during the Dark ges will !e "uestion, giving more power to the people and not
the self#imposed authorities such as the $atholic $hurch. %he previous censorship, oppression
and authoritarian powers would !e overthrown to create a new way of thinking more aimed at
modernization and independence in every aspect of the human life& politically, economically
and ideologically 'Middle ges, n.d.(.
)n order to accentuate the changes that Renaissance !rought to civilization there is the
need to understand the previous historic period that was set in the world. During the Dark
ges the oppression of the $atholic $hurch due to the power it had over people led to the
destruction of everything that was once developed !y humans. %echnological and literally
advancements were stopped and everything had to fall under what the $hurch wanted. %hus it
was a *dark age+ for humanity since it didn,t lead to any advancement !ut to the demolition
of civilization 'nnen!erg -erner, n.d.(. .ith the realization of people of the ridiculous
oppression and power that the elite had, there was a re!irth of human thought. %hat is what
Renaissance stands for, the re!irth of the human race in history as intellectual !eings. During
the Dark ges there weren,t many developments or improvements !ut with the new ideology
art, literature and science sky rocketed. )t was a literal cultural re!irth for humanity.
Even though when speaking of Renaissance many people think of Europe, it actually
had its !asis in the Middle East. %he Middle East would !e the source for Europe to develop
since they were much more advanced in scholarship, government and international
relationship. .hile Europe was oppressed !y the Dark ges the Middle East had an
advantage, the different cultures didn,t go through the same time of censorship and
Renaissance /
oppression. Many Middle Eastern scholars had a lead in science and mathematics. Due to the
difference in knowledge once Europe reached the stage of development again it was thanks to
the teachings of the Middle East that they were a!le to catch up and later on formulate their
own theories '0ourani, 1111& p. 1/(. lso in literature revived influenced in ancient Roman
and 2reek works. -iterature which had !een previously prohi!ited now was in resonance with
the individuality that emerged in society hence creating an independent artistic culture.
Muslims were a!le to keep the legacy that Romans and 2reeks had left when in Europe was
mostly lost. %hey served as the li!rary of the world having a recollection of not only old !ook
!ut also new ones with revolutionary information '3yed, 114/(. .ith the help of their
advantage of international relationship and commerce they aided the Europeans to redistri!ute
relevant literary works this way returning some literature to its original land. Even though the
Middle East had intellectual power in the world at that time not only with knowledge a!out
new science !ut also every document recorded was in )slam, this didn,t stop Europe from
catching up and !ecoming competition to the Middle East in any time.
.ith the Renaissance the main ideas that flourished were individuality and
independence from the esta!lished dogmas and powerful institutions. %he $hurch,s authority
was "uestioned and classical schools of thought were retaken. %he thought that religion was
not always right led to the refusal to the recognition of the $hurch,s divine authority that they
had implanted, due to this divine power people had found themselves una!le to go against it.
One e5ample of the power of $atholicism was shown in the $rusades which did help improve
commerce, in relation to the demand of transportation of men and supplies6 and in politics,
!reaking down the power of feudal aristocracy. %he culture !lending that the $rusades
!rought would create a more li!eral way of thinking in the population, allowing diversity of
thought with no dogmatic limitation. )t was no longer a!out the seeking of truth through 2od
!ut through the individual. Everything would !e focused on the human !eing and so art and
Renaissance 7
literature would develop new techni"ues according to what the artist wanted and not what the
$hurch told them. 8lorentine painting would !e a result of such new techni"ues, with artists
like 9otticelli who even criticized the pre#esta!lished dogmas in his paintings '2il!ert, 111:&
ch. :(.
Renaissance spread throughout the world and so many types of its definition emerged.
;orthern Renaissance was the one in ;orthern Europe which came from the spreading of
ideas around Europe in the 1<
th
$entury, encouraging national and localized movements. )t
was closely linked to the =rotestant Reform promoted !y Marthin -uther in 1<7/ which
caused fights !etween the $atholic $hurch and the emergent protestant group. On art, while
)talian Renaissance drove to more simplistic techni"ues, ;orthern Renaissance carried on the
tradition of great attention to detail 'nnen!erg -earner, n.d.(. Even though in many aspects it
was !ased on )talian Renaissance it had many distinctive characteristics. )n humanism they
aimed for its application to social reform, wanting the regeneration of moral and spiritual life,
political and ecclesiastical institutions, and education. )t was !ased more on ancient Roman
and 2reek civilizations, whose o!>ective was to make everyone an active and productive
mem!er of society '2il!ert, 111:& ch. 1(. Despite the fact it had the same !asis, ;orthern
Renaissance changed from country to country, depending on national character, traditions and
needs.
)n conclusion, Renaissance was a stage in history where a !reakthrough and re!irth of
human intellect occurred. )t would !e the moment where humans would realize their
individual power in the world and how elite institutions were useless without the support of
the ma>ority. )t would !e the milestone for new ideological currents, li!eralism, diversity of
thought, philosophical theories and new ways of e5pression in art and literature. %he influence
of the Middle East helped Renaissance to !e a great !eginning for science and intellectual
Renaissance ?
people. 0uman !eings would !ecome their own owners and not >ust puppets of a larger and
more powerful institution.
References
nnen!erg -earner. 'n.d.(. Out of the Middle Ages. Retrieved on @uly 14 /A1? from
http&BBwww.learner.orgBinteractivesBrenaissanceBmiddleages.html
nnen!erg -earner. 'n.d.(. Printing and thinking. Retrieved on @uly 1: /A1? from
http&BBwww.learner.orgBinteractivesBrenaissanceBprinting.html
2il!ert, .. '111:(. %he meaning of )talian Renaissance. The Renaissance and the
Reformation. Retrieved on @uly 1: /A1? from
http&BBvli!.iue.itBcarrieBte5tsBcarrieC!ooksBgil!ertBAD.html
2il!ert, .. '111:(. )talian 0umanism. The Renaissance and the Reformation. Retrieved on
@uly 1: /A1? from http&BBvli!.iue.itBcarrieBte5tsBcarrieC!ooksBgil!ertBA<.html
2il!ert, .. '111:(. )talian Renaissance art. The Renaissance and the Reformation. Retrieved
on @uly 1: /A1? from http&BBvli!.iue.itBcarrieBte5tsBcarrieC!ooksBgil!ertBA:.html
2il!ert, .. '111:(. %he Renaissance and the !ackground of the Reformation. The
Renaissance and the Reformation. Retrieved on @uly 1: /A1? from
http&BBvli!.iue.itBcarrieBte5tsBcarrieC!ooksBgil!ertBA1.html
0ourani, 0. '/AA/(. A history of the Arab peoples. Enited 3tates of merica& 0arvard
Eniversity =ress. Retrieved on @uly 1: /A1? from
http&BB!ooks.google.com.ecB!ooksBa!outBC0istoryCofCtheCra!C=eoples.htmlF
idGeg!O!Amewz?$HredirCescGy
Renaissance <
Middle ges. 'n.d.(. Effects of the Crusades. Retrieved on @uly 1D /A1? from
http&BBwww.lordsandladies.orgBeffects#of#crusades.htm
3yed, @. '114/(. Renaissance& the cultural re!irth of Europe. Journal of !bal Academy" 7.
Retrieved on @uly 1: /A1? from
http&BBwww.allamai"!al.comBpu!licationsB>ournalsBreviewBapr4/B