The Influence Of The Italian Renaissance

Antigone needs Ismene to help bury their sibling, however Ismene is scared of infringing upon the law, making it impossible to help her sister. “ What will you risk? And where is your intent?... to bury him you mean, when it’s forbidden? ...

The Italian and Northern Europe Renaissances were both an important mark in history by changing the ideals of life, thought, culture, and art of the people’s of this time. In this paper I will explain the motive for change in these cultures, including the similarities and differences of the two cultures.

The Renaissance brought about major changes in European politics, economics, sciences, and cultures. New schools of thought, most notably Christian Humanism, techniques of painting and sculpting, systems of government, and ways to communicate forever changed the face of Europe. These changes, however, were not uniform in their influence or their style. The Southern, especially Italian, Renaissance focussed particularly on both the individual and the Church, through studying old Roman Catholic doctrines and Greco-Roman classics, whereas the Northern Renaissance looked at how society and the Church could be improved economically and politically. Cultural and geographic differences were the main causes of the differences between the Southern

Italy was considered one of the leading cultural influences throughout history because of it's distinct location, social advances, and technology. The religion in the region was complicated; however, it heavily affected beliefs and morals of people around the world. Another promoting advancement of Italy, was their art. It transformed modern paintings, sculptures, and perceptions on culture. Moreover, the economy was very unpredictable due to the outbreak of disease, erratic growth of development, and overall focus on trade.

Although the origins of the Italian Renaissance can be traced to many different locations, it is important to note that different aspects of Italian culture and society remained largely medieval during the time of the Renaissance; the Renaissance did not come into full swing until the end of the century. The word Renaissance means “rebirth”, and the era is best known for the renewed interest in the culture of classical antiquity (Greece and Rome) after the period that Renaissance humanists labeled the Dark Ages. These changes, while significant, were concentrated in the elite, and for the vast majority of the population life was little changed from the Middle Ages.

The Renaissance was a period of great cultural and technological changes which swept Europe from the end of the 13 century. It was integral in developing Europe into a powerhouse. Although, each part of Europe was subjected to different changes, there were two primary renaissances which were most notable. They were the Italian and the Northern renaissance. Both of these renaissances had a profound impact on Europe. But they also had some typical differences among them and each was unique in its own way.

The influences of any era is evident through artwork and architecture. During the Middle Ages the main influence was the church, this is evident through the focus on biblical and religious symbols. During the Renaissance the main focus was the study of people. This is shown through the increase in self portraits and classical antiquity-inspired buildings. The change between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance is best shown through the art and architecture, demonstrated specifically through an emphasis on religion and classical antiquity, both suggesting a clear cultural change. The culture of both of these eras was greatly shaped by the studies of humanism and theology.

“Most women had little control over the direction their lives took. Once widowed, they had autonomy over considerable financial resources” (Bovey). Women were weak and men had control over their whole lives unless they were widowed. “Women didn’t have political rights, and they didn’t get to choose if they got married or had children. Women didn’t have an education and only if they inherited land they would have the same rights as men” (C N). This was the only case where women had the same rights as men. This rarely occurred because not very many women inherited land, men usually inherited it. Women generally didn’t have an education, so there was little chance for them to be better than men or in a higher power. They were not allowed to know what men did so they were always at A disadvantage. “Women had to obey men but a lot of times they were treated well. Women were treated by their social rank” (Women During the Middle Ages). Not only did men control women, but women were also defined by their social rank. How much money they had determined when they got married, there clothes, there husbands, and where they lived. “Poor women lived in small houses. Wealthy women had servants to do everything for them” (Women in the Middle

The Renaissance began in Florence, Italy around the 1500’s to about the 1700’s. Florence, Italy was the mecca of this rebirth because at the time Florence was extremely wealthy and the people of the city had political freedom and those new ideals of the Renaissance were not being condemned in Florence as they were other cities. This was a time where the arts and the logic of one’s own mind was valued rather than criticized, the antiquated medieval ideals no longer matched the needs of those who were living during the early Renaissance. Eventually, a term for this way of thinking arose and was called Humanism, and what humanism is, is an ideology where humans can lead themselves to create a prosperous life and instead of leaning on supernatural forces for answers. Humanists believe that humans have enough logic to create conclusions themselves. This brand-new way of thinking caused a lot of controversy because it did question God’s ability and the church’s power, but the ideas behind it are still heavily used today, even in the 21st century. Humanism in the early Renaissance is important because it called for thinking with reason, it allowed an appreciation for human body and mind, inspired authors and caused a shift in power.

Satire (The Analysis of Chaucer’s Use of Satire to Reach His Intended Audience) The freedom of speech was not fully recognized until the colonist wanted to be separate from Britain and their church; however Chaucer was the one that introduced them to speaking out. “The Canterbury Tales is a series of stories told by an interacting group of characters in the course of a journey which is seen, in accordance with a common medieval conception, as an image of human life in time. ”(Traversi, Derek A) Chaucer wrote the tale using characters as his voice claiming that the people in the story said what he had actually written himself.

During the Italian Renaissance Florence developed its renaissance palaces and squares, turning it into a living museum. Many squares, such as Piazza della Signoria exhibit famous statues

Death by dagger, Duncan's assassination sets off a chain of events, which ends in an untimely manner. As the symbol of blood starts to accumulate, a change in both imagery and diction in the actions of the Macbeths’ arise a theme of ambition and greed. Ultimately, the play, Macbeth, uses dark symbols and a change in imagery to show that following ambitions and temptations before morals will always result in destruction.

What was the Renaissance and why did it happen? Italian life in the 14th and 15th centuries was lived among the vast ruins of the ancient Roman Empire. The cruelty and barbarism of Rome

The Renaissance was a rebirth of the ideas of ancient Greece and Rome that began in the City States of Italy during the 14th century. The cultural resurgence began a new style of living in Europe after the horrors of the black death, and is seen as the beginning of the culture of the modern world. As Wassace K. Ferguson put in his book The Renaissance, the Italian artists grew tired of the darkness of Medieval Times and began to turn to the brighter times found in the classical ages (Doc 7). The Renaissance served as the evolutionary bridge between the Middle Ages and the 17th century through art, education, and religion by bringing a rebirth of the ancient Greek and Roman classics that would later define the world’s culture, while continuing the underlying beliefs of Medieval Times.

Virtue ethics is the theory which is centered on character rather than focused on actions. An individual's actions are the main element of ethical thinking rather than actions themselves (which is known as Deontology) or their consequences (which is known as consequentialism). A virtuous character would have to have virtuous traits. Some traits include courage, patience, and truthfulness. To understand virtue ethics one must first understand the virtues that make a good human being. A virtue is defined as a behavior showing high moral standards. For example, a common characteristic quality displaying a virtue would be honesty. If someone is honest, They are believed to never lie or cheat which