The Italian term ‘Renaissance’ means 'rebirth'. The term is traditionally
applied to the intellectual movements that embraced the re-awakening of
scholarship and self-emancipation of the individual from the thraldom of
institutions. More properly Renaissance is applied to the revival of arts
resulting from the rediscovery and imitation of classical models. The French
historian Jules Michelet for the first time used
this term. It is derived from the Italian ‘Rinascita’ means- ‘rebirth’.
To quote Michelet ‘renaissance’ means-
“The
discovery of the world and the discovery of man, by man”.
Lamartine sings with the same strain, “man discovered himself
and the universe” whereas Taine opines that so long blinded,
“had suddenly opened his eyes and seen”.
Italy was
the cradle of Renaissance. The fire Renaissance spreads from here. But it dates back to
the capture of Constantinople in 1453 by the Turks. With the fall of
Constantinople many Greek Scholars flocked to Italy with their manuscripts. The
result was that Italian cites became canters of GK study and classical culture.
The study of Greek literature and culture spread the perfumes to open up the petals
of the sleeping beauty of Europe. The term Humanism sprang up from it. ‘Theocentric’ (i.e.;
Man is the centre of the universe) world. The revival of Greek learning gave
birth to an enlightened life which trumpets the glory of man and human life. So Mephistopheles says
to Dr. Faustus with the sting of Renaissance in his
lips-
“Why,
Faustus,
Thinkest
thou heaven is such a glorious thing?
I
tell thee, ‘tis not half so fair as thou
Or
any man that breathes on earth”.
[Dr.
Faustus. Act-II. Sc (iii)]
So
we have the same glimpses of Renaissance thought in an oration by Pico
Della Mirandola, ‘On the Dignity of Man’. Renaissance came to
mean humanism, wonder at the new earth and sky as revealed by the navigators
and astronomers, perception of beauty of the Greek and Latin classics. Prof. Babbit of
America coins the term ‘humanism’ and with this humanistic approach
starts the Geographical discoveries. Invention of Printing Press by
Gutenberg and set up by Caxton in Englnd , springing of Copernican
system of Astronomy, the Reformation landing by Luther, Calvin, Knox & Huss gave
a new flood of Renaissance.
So
‘Renaissance’ from Italy to English wave gives the splendid welcome to
the flowerings of English soil. It enlivens the drooping spirit of dark veil of
medieval spot. It inspires new blooms – (a) rise of nationalism, (b)
spirit of adventure, (c) love of beauty and sensuousness, (d) scientific
studies, (e) belief in the dignity of man and enthusiasm for new discoveries
etc.
Art during the late 1400s and early
1500s were dominated by three masters – Michael Angelo, Raphael and Leonardo da
Vinci. The focus of Renaissance art was on realism. Michael Angelo’s the Statue
of Moses, Raphael’s portrait of Madonna and da Vinci’s The Last Supper and Mona
Lisa rank high among all art till now.
With
the spirit of Renaissance various fields were flourished in ‘full throated
ease’. From new learning to Humanism, from geographical network to scientific
study and invention it spreads its cobweb. Catholicism Protestantism, feudal
system to mercantile expansion Renaissance gives blessings to everyone.
Classical writers like Aristotle, Erasmus, Cato, Cicero, Virgil, Ovid,
Machiavelli, Montaigne, Petrarch, Dante, Boccaccio, Cinthio, inspire the
literary magma of England. To quote T.G.Wolliams –
“the
free-ringing, liberal tones of the old
Greek
reacted
on the modern world now emerging from tradition bound medievalism”.
Aristo and Tasso had
captured the readers with their powerful poetic genius in Orlando
Furioso and Jerusalem Delivered; Castiglione’s The
Courtier presented the renaissance ideals of fine courtly conduct
and the art of living. Machiavelli’s The Prince serves
as a powerful guide of a successful statesman and politician.
In
the geographical field discoveries crowned on Turkish conquests,
conquest of Columbus (1492, America), John Cabot’s discovery of Newfoundland
and Labrador in 1497, Vasco de Gama’s discovery of new India route to India (1498).
The discovery of new trade routes helped to establish the commercial prosperity
of countries like Spain Portugal and England. Copernicus’s theory
defends the Ptolemy’s theory system of the universe. This
theory of Copernicus later was supported by Kepler, a German, Galileo an
Italian and William Harvey, the English physician and philologist.
In
the religious sphere Martin Luther brought Protestantism, Reformation came in
Germany. Lutherism spread and became a clarion call for revolt. Calvinism and
Anglicanism also struck at the root of Roman Catholicism. Decline of Feudal system
and coming of foreign merchant became the key note of the renaissance world.
The Renaissance blooms in architecture and music and in literature. Michael
Angelo, Raphael, Da Vinchi, Titian, Byrd and Orlando Gibbons flourished their
paintings and musical strain.
The
impact of the Renaissance was equally evident on all the spheres of English
literature. Sir Thomas More’s Utopia was certainly influenced by Plato’s Republic. Utopia is
considered the masterpiece of English humanism, embodying the concept of an
ideal state which would be the opposite of that inert and barren society in
which the author lived. English educationists of the period Roger Asham, Sir
Thomas Elyot, Sir John Cheke, and Sir Thomas Wilson, Sir Thomas Smith
highlighted the significance of not only Latin and Greek languages but are seen
to be extraordinary preoccupied with Latinity : Latin pleasures, Latin
elegances and Latin ways of living too! Italian sonnet style of Petarch
imported to England. Wyatt, Surrey, Sidney, Spenser, Daniel, Drayton and
Shakespeare flourish the sonnets in the mastery fashion.
Lyrical
works and epical poems also get its full growth in the Renaissance impetus. Sidney’s
Astrphel
and Stella Spenser’s Hymns
in Honour of love and Beautie, pastoral
elegy and love songs- Epithalamion and Prothalamion are
the superb flowerings ever bloomed. Moreover, Drayton’s Idea, Daniel’s The complaint
of Rosamond and Ben
Jonson’s Moral Lyrics may be mentioned
here too. In Spenser’s The
Faerie Queene, Daniel’s The Civil war
and The Barons war, epic
poetry magnetized the hearts of mankind.
Prose
works also get its foundation like Sidney’s Arcadia, Lily’s Euphues, Lodge’s Rosalynd and
Greene’s Pandasto and
the essays of Bacon, Sidney, Daniel, Webb and others. In the Dramatic field Gorboduc;
the 1st tragedy based on Seneca was produced. The
Misfortunes of Arthur, Jocasta are also of same
types. Comedies like Ralph Roister Doister and
Gammer
Gurton’s Needle were flourished in this era.
Lyly, Peele, Greene, Kyd, Marlowe, the master dramatists get the platform to
bloom their dramatic flowers. Shakespeare stands supreme in this platform. Sidney’s An Apology of Poetrie
is the criticism of Renaissance epitome.
So,
to conclude there is a new flash of lightening in every sphere of life. This
dazzling aura beautifies the whole decorum of Elizabethan literary lotus. From
geographical universe, to scientific network, from classical study to modern
myth it had its far reaching perfumed showering. The new learning encouraged
and stimulated the intellectual curiosity, scholarly research and the spirit of
“Queer theory” .Style is the image of man was echoed by Buffon’s “Le Style e’est
I’homme”. Masques, mime, drama, fantasy allegory, music, painting
sculpture were erupted later on for renaissance spirit. So to quote
T.G.Williams once again, the Renaissance mind enlivens-
“The
will to live and to savour all that life.”
(‘Colonialism’
has its origin in the seed of Renaissance).
Yes,
that’s the panacea of all ages to come.
*****$*****
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