...Alexandra Hill HUM 2232 16 October 2012 Renaissance Besides the horrific natural disasters of the plague, the signs of intense human creativity flourished in all the arts. The deep-rooted scholastic approach to learning increased interest in Classical literature. Therefore, people began incorporating new ideas to political systems, economics, and trade. The ideal Renaissance man and woman wanted a better understanding of life. The passion for enlightenment changed the culture and scholasticism of this period. Francis Petrarch, Christine de Pisan, and Lavinia Fontana contributions to the Renaissance are the signs of intense human creativity, and created a new perspective on life. Men during the Renaissance controlled of everything. They had a voice in the political and social systems. Social categorizing of the Renaissance people depended on a person classification of wealth. Men were supposed to be loyal to their king and the Church. Learning from outside sources other than the Church became popular. They did not reject the church, but people started to question the traditional history and teachings. In this era, people started to focus back on their history and began to have a strong passion for investigating and learning more about their past. Education became paramount. The more educated, the more a person understood about life as a whole; it became a necessity to become well rounded and successful. Social status played a huge role during these times, reputation, wealth...
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...Anthony Migliore Professor White Themes of Modern History 27 February 2015 The Renaissance The Renaissance, literally meaning “rebirth”, was a time of great change from the previous era of history. The Renaissance is a rebirth of Greco-Roman culture and ideas that differ greatly from the medieval way of thinking. During this period of time there were intellectual, artistic, and educational advances that were seen as a bridge between the middle ages and the modern era. A great number of Renaissance advancements can be credited to a few “Renaissance men” who achieved revolutionary things in many fields. A Renaissance man is a term defined as “a person with many talents or areas of knowledge” and, unsurprisingly, there were many of these men during the Renaissance. A well-known Renaissance man is Leonardo Da Vinci who was a painter, engineer, mathematician, and many more things that make him a renaissance man. Da Vinci embodied the characteristics of the Renaissance in his artistic works and paintings. One such characteristic is the Greek technique of linear perspective. Linear perspective was a Greco-Roman way of painting that seems to have been lost during the middle ages. Linear perspective is a much more advanced method of painting that results in a strikingly realistic image if used in the hands of a skilled painter such as Da Vinci. Linear perspective involves tracing all images in the painting to connect to one point in terms of angular position. Using this technique...
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...In The Merchant of Venice and Pygmalion, Portia and Eliza on the surface seem to be typical women of their time, sold to men and told who to marry. Although more than 300 years separate these two plays, the role of females is very similar in that they are portrayed by society as objects of desire. Women typically got their identity from that of their husband’s power and status. Portia and Eliza both illustrate how women can have great influence and which is unheard of from women in the renaissance and early 20th century. Shakespeare and Shaw use female characters to convey the true definition of feminism by creating heroic and independent characteristics in Portia and Eliza. As seen in both the Merchant of Venice and Pygmalion, Eliza and Portia were both given arranged marriages and told who they belong to. This was the common thing that was done in renaissance time (Merchant of Venice) and also in the early 1900’s (Pygmalion). In Pygmalion, Higgins says “Very well, then, what on earth is all this fuss about? The girl doesn't belong to anybody—is no use to anybody but me”, Higgins is implying that Eliza doesn’t belong to anyone at the moment, meaning that a girl should belong to someone. In Merchant of Venice, Nerissa is quoted “Your father was ever virtuous; and holy men at their death have good inspirations: therefore the lottery, that he hath devised in these three chests of gold, silver and lead, whereof who chooses his meaning chooses you, will, no doubt, never be chosen...
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...Often when thinking of the Renaissance, the flourishing arts, influential families, and in particular powerful men come to mind. In Italy during the fourteenth century, women did not seem to hold power, and were often seen as inferior, stuck to labor within the household, and holding few rights. However, while women were treated as inferior to men during the age of the Italian Renaissance, woman exerted some power. Through a reflection of Renaissance art, one can not only see the historical subjugation of women but also the hidden power that women held. Women during this time in Italy were essentially controlled by men, who determined what they could do, where they could go, and even who they could marry. Women’s roles were limited since they were denied political rights and left with little autonomy. Within a marriage, often arranged without her consent...
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...The Evolution of Women in Comedy: From the Italian Renaissance to Today Since the rejuvenation of comedies during the Italian Renaissance, the roles of women in comedy have changed and fluctuated dramatically along with the roles of women in society. Female characters in comedy have ranged from stock characters with no control, to women who take some control via masquerades, to women with freedom but no personality, and finally to the fully empowered, funny women we watch on screen today. Throughout the centuries these changes in comedy have occurred to allow many women to reach their full comedic potential. Changes in comedy to include funny women are ultimately tied to changes in societal views, and this paper aims to explore the journey it took to empower women in comedy, starting from the return of comedy during the Italian Renaissance. Just as in the Middle Ages, women of the Italian Renaissance were granted neither freedom nor independence. With very little exception, women were controlled by men for their entire lives, first ruled over by their parents during childhood and then sent straight into a marriage arranged by their family to a man they probably did not want to marry (“Women”). This lack of freedom encompassed many areas. Women were expected to be housewives and only housewives. They could not leave the home without a male escort and in fact could not even own a home. Women who did not marry were forced to live with a male relative or live in a convent and become...
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...Britsh Literature SparkNotes Editors. “SparkNote on Italian Renaissance (1330-1550).” SparkNotes.com. SparkNotes LLC. n.d.. Web. 12 Dec. 2015. The women of the Renaissance era, like the women of the middle Ages in there time, were denied all political rights and considered legally subject to their husbands. Women of all classes were expected to perform, first and foremost, the duties of housewife. Peasant women worked in the field alongside their husbands and ran the home. The Italian renaissance article shows how the wives of middle class shop owners and merchants often helped run their husbands' businesses as well. Even women of the highest class, though attended by servants, most often engaged in the tasks of the household, sewing, cooking, and entertaining, among others. Women who did not marry were not permitted to live independently. Instead, they lived in the households of their male relatives or, more often, joined a convent. From this article I collected a good bit of information on how and why Lady Macbeth acted the way she did back in the renaissance era BeyondJane , The role of women during the renaissance era , May 20, 2010 Women were often placed in arranged agreements to marry as early as the age of eight years old. A woman in the Renaissance usually got married somewhere between the ages of sixteen and twenty years old. Marriages were arranged not for reasons of romantic love, but for business reasons, in the interest of trade relations, and...
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...New Art Forms of the High Middle Ages Throughout history Europe has experienced countless changes in culture and other aspects. The Middle Ages, or Medieval Period, lasted from around 800 into the 1400’s (349). This period can be subdivided into three categories: early, high, and late. The Middle Ages brought about changes in religion, law, and daily life. Changes also occurred in the arts with the introduction of Gothic architecture and troubadour poetry. Although the Middle Ages began as a time of violence, the emergence of Gothic architecture and troubadour poetry are examples of devotion and expression. During the tenth and eleventh centuries cathedrals were constructed (367). The style of the cathedrals resembled Roman architecture, which was the preceding time period. (367). Features of Roman architecture included “massive walls, rounded stones arches, and small windows” (367). By the twelfth century, this new style gained the name “Gothic.” The Gothic style introduced new engineering improvements and emphasized more emotional expression. The structures of Gothic architecture consisted of pointed arches, high ceilings, and flying buttresses (367). A flying buttress carried the weight of the roof. “Midieval Archtechture” states: “The walls of Gothic buildings could be thinner than previous styles of architecture because the weight of the roof was supported by the arches rather than by the walls. The pointed Gothic arch provided greater flexibility could also span...
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...goal of being together. The whole story is played in the theatre style of the Renaissance; audiences could see violence, young boys are playing female rolls without wearing masks, many scenes and time change. However, if it was played in Greek theatre style, the audience could see a different style of performance and there would be a different effect. In Greek Theatre we would see no violence; males would play female parts by wearing masks, there would be one setting and day light only. In the Renaissance theatre violence was shown frequently at their performances. In the story of Romeo and Juliet, Romeo is involved in a street fight and he kills Tybalt, who was Juliet’s cousin. In the Greek theatre no violence was shown. If it was played in Greek theatre style, the audience wouldn’t see violence in the theatre. In my opinion, if we want to play Romeo and Juliet in Greek Theatre style, the option would be a narrator to tell the story of the street fight which ends up with the death of Juliet’s cousin which eventually raises the tension between two families and the opposition of Juliet’s family with marriage to Romeo. In Romeo and Juliet, we can see young boys playing women’s roles in Renaissance style. They create typical images of female characteristics. In a Renaissance theatre young boys were the performers of female roles and they wore no masks if required. Teenage boys were used to play female roles because of their high pitched voices, sounding more like women; they look...
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...Shakespeare's play Othello, he gives the women certain characteristics which interfere with the traditional roles of Renaissance women. One of the major causes of Othello's tragedy is his belief that Desdemona is not pure and chaste. According to the men of the Renaissance, chastity, silence, and obedience are three attributes that define Renaissance women. Although Othello takes place during the Renaissance, the women in the play, Bianca, Desdemona and Emilia, defy traditional norms by lacking at least one of the major attributes defining women; Bianca's lack of chastity is clearly displayed when she unlawfully sleeps with Cassio; Desdemona's lack of silence is clearly displayed when she constantly urges Othello to give Cassio's position back. However, in the last two acts, Emilia displays the strongest challenge to the definition of Renaissance women as silent, chaste, and obedient, mainly to defend Desdemona. First, in order to defend Desdemona's chastity, Emilia challenges the societal norm of silence. Recall the incident when Othello calls Desdemona a "whore" for cheating. In response, Emilia protests loudly against Othello and attempts to disprove his belief that Desdemona is not chaste: "A halter pardon him [Othello]! And hell gnaw his bones! / Why should he call her [Desdemona] whore? (4.2. 143,144). Instead of Emilia conforming to the attribute of Renaissance women as silent, she condemns Othello for his false accusations against her mistress, Desdemona. Later...
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...Harlem Renaissance At the turn of the twentieth century, not all Americans held equal chance at making a name for themselves. Unequally is the only term that appropriately describes the way African Americans were treated during this time. Although their ancestors had endured suppression and struggle for years, those African American men and women associated with the Harlem Renaissance era would come to find new hope for their race. These artists such as Langston Hughes and Countee Cullen, although having differentiating views, both played major roles in uplifting the black culture. I was responsible for researching these two writers, and I will show how they made giants steps for African Americans while establishing a place in American Literature forever. After consulting my the textbook, I was able to find an article in which the story of an African American soldier from World War I was told. A Blakely, GA relative, Wilbur Little was lynched by a group of white men after returning from the war. He was slain simply because he wore his uniform in public after being threatened not to previously. Instances like this one involving Wilbur Little are what inspired the writers of the Harlem Renaissance era (Davis 477). Years of racism pushed the black culture into a corner that must have seemed dooming for many, but as the Great Migration ensued hope was restored in the hearts African Americans. Blacks during the early 1900’s caught trains northbound in hope of freedom and equality...
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...What kind of hierarchies do we encounter in the study of art from 1400-1600? Ideas of the Renaissance The hierarchical phenomenon operating between the years 1400-1600 shaped and organised Renaissance society, heavily defining codes of conduct and correct communal correlations. What’s more, it was a comprehensive and widespread concept that manifested from various angles in Italian Renaissance art. Hierarchical influence can be encountered when considering the contention between several aspects of Renaissance art, and the bearing this classification and ranking process had on the canon of art history was considerable given the periods place in it. Specifically, this ladder of position operated within the competitive frameworks between the liberal and mechanical arts, Early Renaissance and High Renaissance artists, male and female artists, patrons and their employees in the practice of patronage, genres of art works, and painters and sculptors. When trying to understand how a period is structured and works as a whole, consideration of the hierarchies operating within it reveal some clear points of focus. Societies generally work on a ‘pyramid of prestige’, and Renaissance Italy followed this rule. Each societal member had a place, and was expected to fully understand the boundaries this position placed upon them. Societal roles were clear, and every person was conscious of their social standing, whether it be that they were higher or lower than the next person...
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...change and the Harlem Renaissance. The Harlem Renaissance was sparked by the pain that African Americans felt being slaves and in turn they moved to the more urbanized and industrial north. It was considered a Renaissance because the liberal arts like, music, literature and art were uplifted independently for African American culture. This in turn created a social change for African Americans to have more freedom and liberty. Social change associated with freedom in the Harlem Renaissance can be attributed to three different reasons, literature, art and music. Literature played a gargantuan role in the...
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...Renaissance Humanism encompasses the philosophy that people are capable of truth and goodness. Much of this ideology and philosophy representing art and literature, whose roots are deeply planted in classic Latin, came to the forefront in the Fifteenth Century. Art and literature in the Fifteenth Century were a revival of “Greek and Roman studies, which emphasized the value of the classics for their own sake, rather than for their relevance to Christianity” (Hunter & Payne, 2003). Humanists believed that through the study of “…the classical study of text of ancient Greece and Rome” (Humanism, 2007) one would be able to improve on society as a whole. During previous periods, this type of teaching was kept mostly to theologians, authors and philosophers. During the Renaissance though, the people who had the means and desire to study classical art and literature were from a broad spectrum of royalty to merchants. The students were not studying for professional reasons but more so for pleasure. The interest in art broadened from works Classical Greece to what, at the time of the Renaissance, were referred to as contemporary works and existed as objects of learning or ideal beauty Literature had its foundation deep in classical roots and there are many similarities and contrasting points of view in their themes. One of the most significant documents of literature, during this period, was the theses (“intellectual propositions”) written by Giovanni Pico della Mirandola...
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...time in which Christine lived and the types of concerns she voiced with regard to women’s rights. During the Renaissance, a woman’s place in society was so limited and seemed to revolve almost entirely around subservience to her husband. As the most well-known female writer of her time, Christine was not afraid to question some of the stereotypes about and injustices against women in society. The Handmaid’s Tale is a painful glimpse into a not so distant totalitarian dystopia where women have been stripped of their rights and are being forced into servitude for men. Oddly enough, I see similarities in both the...
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...Harlem Renaissance Poets Hossein Ghazvini Strayer University HUM 112 Dr. Anthony McCormack November 27, 2011 Harlem Renaissance Poets The first poem I choose from the Harlem Renaissance time belongs to Claude Mckay, “If We Must Die” (1919). If we must die—let it not be like hogs Hunted and penned in an inglorious spot, While round us bark the mad and hungry dongs, Making their mock at our accursed lot. If we must dir—oh, let us nobly die, So that our precious blood may not be shed In vain; then even the monsters we defy Shall be constrained to honor us though dead Oh, kinsman! We must meet the common foe; Though far outnumbered, let us show us brave, And for their thousand blows deal one deathblow! What though before us lies the open grave? Like men we’ll face the murderous, cowardly pack, Pressed to the wall, dying, but fighting back!(Mckay, 1919). To describe Clause Mckay’s role and importance within the Harlem Renaissance we shall look at his poems. Overall the author is expressing anger over the whites being racist and killing the slaves who fought back, also is unhappy about the war that is taking place and is trying to express his feelings trough his poems. Poems such as If we must die gave a sense of moving forward and pursuing the dream of freedom to the slaves who had started fighting back the whites. The evidence of “double-consciousness” in the poem If we must die, is apparent throughout the poem for example where the author says...
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