Renaissance Outline

1. Renaissance Outline Mr. Fazzini English IV

2. Medieval to Renaissance • Medieval Era • Characterized by poverty, ignorance, warfare, religious and political persecution • Low literacy rate • Clergy were typically the only literate • Renaissance • Rebirth--Renaissance • rebirth of classical learning and knowledge or to the ensuing rebirth of European culture.

3. Renaissance Art • oil paintings on canvas.  • paintings took on three dimensions--use of shadow and light. • The use of light, shadow, and perspective had been perfected • Classicism--idealized the world as it was and as the artist felt it.

4. Art II • mythical subjects and nature scenes presented “as they were.”  • Artists emphasized differences in proportions (meaning size and location of one thing compared to another in the painting) of their subject matter. • DaVinci • Mona Lisa • Michelangelo • Sistine Chapel

5. Renaissance Music • Polyphony--consisting of two or more independent melodic voices • Counterpoint--Melodic material that is added above or below an existing melody. The technique of combining two or more melodic lines in such a way that they establish a harmonic relationship while retaining their linear individuality. • Masses predominated • Secular music • Madrigal • Lute Songs • Instruments • Lute • Recorder • Harp • Hurdy-Gurdy http://www.midcoast.com/~beechhil/vielle/sounds.html

6. Renaissance Literature • Petrarch and Dante—”Fathers of the Renaissance” • produced Latin and vernacular poetry, history, and prose fiction inspired by classical models. • Humanistic curriculum in schools • Humanism--Philosophy. a variety of ethical theory and practice that emphasizes reason, scientific inquiry, and human fulfillment in the natural world and often rejects the importance of belief in God.

7. Humanistic Philosophy • Emphasis on the dignity of man and on expanded possibilities of human life in this world. • Human beings=social creatures who could create meaningful lives only in association with other social beings.       • Humanism represented a shift from the "contemplative life" to the "active life."

8. Humanism II • In the Middle Ages--life of contemplation and religious devotion, away from the world (though this ideal applied to only a small number of people). • In the Renaissance--active involvement in public life, in moral, political, and military action, and in service to the state. • some of the most important Humanists were Churchmen. • individual achievement, breadth of knowledge, and personal aspiration (as personified by Doctor Faustus) were valued.

9. Humanism III • "Renaissance Man“--an individual who, in addition to participating actively in the affairs of public life, possesses knowledge of and skill in many subject areas. • Individual aspiration--not the major concern of Renaissance Humanists—focused on teaching people how to participate in and rule a society • social nature of humanity was the dominant theme of humanism.

10. Great Chain of Being • The purpose of the great chain of being was to assign a place for everything in the universe—ORDER AND MEANING WERE IMPORTANT • holy • animal • vegetable • mineral • Example: If one were to examine only the earthly inhabitants, and their place in the chain, this is what would be found: • GOD—THE DIVINE • ANGELS • HUMANS • beasts • fish • plants • rocks • The central concept of the chain of being is that everything imaginable fits into it somewhere, giving order and meaning to the universe.

11. GCOB Part 2 • PREMISE--every existing thing in the universe had its "place“ • "place" –proportion of "spirit" and "matter" it contained--the less "spirit" and the more "matter," the lower down it stood. • within each of these large groups, there were other hierarchies. • plants, animals, humans, and angels--ranked from low to high within their respective segments. • Continuity between segments--(shellfish were lowest among animals and shaded into the vegetative class—since they couldn’t move on their own, they most resembled plants).

12. Renaissance Literature • PROTESTANT REFORMATION--Protestant rejection of the authority of Church representatives theoretically placing that authority entirely on the Bible • All should read Bible for themselves • BIBLE—Translated into vernacular language • Catholic Church opposed • Wanted to keep Latin-only • Protestants wanted to understand The Bible in its original Hebrew and Greek so that it could be properly translated. • Bible--renewed source of literary inspiration, both in literary form and subject matter; it also became a rich source of symbols.--ALLUSIONS     • EMPHASIS ON INDIVIDUAL FEELINGS--the Protestant Reformation. • Revival of great drama--William Shakespeare.

13. Amoretti—distribute and read poems! • My love = ice • I = Fire • PARADOX--a statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth. • a statement whose two parts seem contradictory yet make sense with more thought. Bible uses paradox-- "They have ears but hear not." Or in ordinary conversation, we might use a paradox, "Deep down he's really very shallow." Paradox attracts the reader's or the listener's attention and gives emphasis.

14. Marlowe and Raleigh • “Passionate Shepherd” • “Nymph’s Reply to the Shepherd” • Pastoral Poetry • Highly conventional and artificial • Presents “idealized” life • dealing with shepherds and rustic life • Love and seduction • Eclogue --A pastoral poem, usually in the form of a dialogue between shepherds.

15. Create 5 metaphors • Of your own on a separate sheet of paper

16. Tenor/Vehicle Metaphor Analysis • Metaphors: one thing is spoken of in terms of another. The thing being spoken of is sometimes called the tenor; the thing in terms of which it's being spoken is then called the vehicle. • A Sonnet is a moment's monument ... Tenor: sonnet. Vehicle: a monument (i.e. a tangible structure, such as a statue). • The hour-glass whispers to the lion's paw ... • Hour-glasses don't whisper, so we're in the realm of metaphor (a personification, to start with). Hour-glasses do make a noise, though, as the sand sifts through. What might they “say?” Something about time passing inexorably.

17. Shakespeare Example All the world's a stage,/ And all the men and women merely players/ They have their exits and their entrances (William Shakespeare, As You Like It, 2/7) • "the world" is compared to a stage, the aim being to describe the world by taking well-known attributes from the stage. • In this case, the world is the tenor and the stage is the vehicle. • "Men and women" are a secondary tenor and "players" is the vehicle for this secondary tenor. • ground and the tension. • ground consists of the similarities between the tenor and the vehicle. • tension the dissimilarities between the tenor and the vehicle. • In the above example, the ground: "They have their exits and their entrances." • Shakespeare continues this metaphor for another twenty lines beyond what is shown here - making it a good example of an extended metaphor.

18. We’ll do one together • Fazzini examples • Our love is… • Our love is a teddy bear. • Our love is a blossoming flower • Our love is a nuclear holocaust Break these down by TENOR, VEHICLE, GROUND, and TENSION USING YOUR SHEET OF METAPHORS, AND YOUR E.C.—find 5 metaphors and break then down by Tenor and Vehicle—I will collect your work at the end of class and we will discuss it on Wednesday before we discuss the first Renaissance poets