Renaissance period ushered a new era in literature. Scholastic education of the Middle Ages which emphasised the importance of grammar and rhetoric on the one hand and professionalism in law, medicine and theology on the other began to decline rapidly with the revival of ancient classics. Emphasis was placed on the study of humanities and the scholars of the Renaissance period called themselves "humanists". Humanists tried to bring joy to millions by taking interest in the human problems, human, nature and human values. They stimulated man's interest in such disciplines as pagan literature (ancient Greek and Roman literature), history, poetry and philosophy. Their fresh look at the classical past promoted secular spirit.
Dante
Alighieri (1265-1321)
He
was one of those who preferred to write in Italian to Latin in expressing his
passionate feelings, and paved way for the rise of national literature. He
wrote De- Monarchia and Divine Comedy. Dante
describes an imaginative journey of a religious pilgrim who goes through hell,
purgatory and paradise with such an intense feeling that it sets standards for
Italian classics. He was influenced, by the philosophy of St. Thomas Aquinas.
He wrote another book Vita Nuova in which he tells the story of his love for
Beatrice who died a premature death.
Petrarch
(1304-74) the first humanist
Italy
produced the greatest humanist scholar in the person of Petrarch
(1304-74). He promoted the cause of Latin
and Greek study and for this purpose initiated a great search for finding
manuscripts belonging to the classical past. He was highly influential not only
in Italy but all over Europe and even enjoyed the patronage of Pope Clement VI,
Emperor Charles IV and the King of Naples. Contemporary scholars admired him
more for writing Latin letters especially his Letters to Ancient Authors-than
his finest sonnet (Laura) in Italian. In his Latin letters he shared his
thoughts by addressing ancient Greek and Roman writers such as Homer, Plato,
Cicero and others. The writings of this great "father of humanism" in
Italy profoundly influenced the scholars and writers of his times.
Unfortunately, he could not develop a sound knowledge of Greek.
Giovanni Boccacio (1313-75) wrote stories in Italian. He wrote about worldly
pleasures and his novel Decameron known for bawdy tales made him extremely
popular and set trends for other Romantic novelists. The tales in the
celebrated novel are satires on medieval customs and traditions. It ridiculed
the existing feudal society.
Machiavelli
(1469-1527)
He
used his knowledge and experience by writing a wonderful book, The Prince. This
book contained guidelines for most ambitious rulers who wanted to succeed
always. Machiavelli wrote, "It is not necessary for a prince to be
merciful, faithful, sincere or religious, for that would make him dangerously
weak. But it is most necessary for him to seem to be these things." A good
prince should "know how to do wrong when circumstances demand". He
must be like a lion and a fox in order to destroy his enemies who will always
be making attempts to destroy him. To Machiavelli, a prince should be
merciless, cunning, selfish and deceitful for these qualities will enable him
to succeed.
Francois
Rabelais (1494-1553)
Francois Rabelais (1494-1553) was known for his satirical work entitled Gargantua
and Pantagruel. In this work, Rabelais narrated the adventurous story of father
(Gargantua) and son (Pantagruel). He ridiculed the educational methods and
abuses of the church of his times. He indirectly revealed in his work that man
was capable of solving his own problems by rational thinking.
Michel
de Montaigne (1533-92)
Montaigne
may be described as the first writer of modern essays. It was he who gave the
essays its present form. His Essais (ninety-four in number) touch every subject
"in a direct and lucid style". He was "self- centred" and a
serious person. He preached objectivity, detachment and tolerance and became
"a model of seventeenth century free thinkers". Being a sceptic
throughout his life he hoped for a future when reason will yield place to
experience.
Desiderius
Erasmus (1466-1536): "the prince of the Christian humanists." “First Europian”
Erasmus
of Rotterdam (Holland) is hailed as the greatest humanist scholar. He studied
in a Church school and at a young age entered the monastery. He mastered the
Greek and Latin classics and moved about freely in Europe and England. But his
chief title to fame rested upon Greek text of the New Testament and Praise of
Folly. In the first named scholarly work he tried to restore the purity of the
scripture by removing the cobwebs of Church ignorance, and the second poured
ridicule on the follies and superstitions of the Church. He hoped that by his
Greek text of the scripture, and its Latin translation (1516) he would settle
the religious dispute. Till the last day of his
life he remained a true Catholic. He produced his famous works with the"
hope of reforming the Church from within.
Sir
Thomas More
Thomas
More, the son of London's prominent barrister, studied at Oxford and became a
votary of the "New Learning". His friendship with the Dutch scholar
Erasmus, and "Oxford Reformer" John Colet, turned him into a humanist
philosopher. More's Utopia in Latin in 1516 resembled Plato's work Republic.
Thomas More had faith that men and women could build a better future and serve
what is known as "common wealth". His work described such ideals as
communal ownership of land, religious tolerance and education of men and women.
Shakespeare
Of
him Ben Jonson once wrote that "he was not of an age but for all
time". His thirty-nine plays were classified into tragedies (Macbeth and
Hamlet), comedies (As you like it,) romances (The Tempest), and historical
(Julius Caesar, Richard III). In all his plays, Shakespeare portrayed human
nature, human sensibilities and emotions at their best through his dramatis
personae. Shakespeare also copied the iambic pentametre and wrote more than one
hundred and fifty sonnets for which he is little known.
Miguel de Cervantes (1547-1616) excelled in prose writing with his rollicking satire,
Don Quixote, published in two parts in 1605 and 1615. It became universally
popular and set a trend for other satirists. In this work, Cervantes sketches
the story of Don Quixote (the landlord) and Sancho Panza who go on a tour like
the brave knights and meet with many comic situations. Here, Cervantes
ridiculed the customs and chivalry of the Middle Ages which had become outmoded
during his days.
In
this way the literature of European languages flourished under the influence of
Renaissance. Both soul and mind expanded in them. Its form and content became
widespread and literature became restless to break free from the walls of the
church and come to the public sphere.
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