Title: Unit 6 The Renaissance and Rationalism
1Unit 6The Renaissance and Rationalism
- Rebirth and Exploration
- 1300-1800
2From The Godly Feast/ by Erasmus
- Of course Sacred Scripture is the basic
authority in everything yet I sometimes run
across ancient sayings or pagan writings-even the
poets-so purely and reverently expressed, and so
inspired, that I cant help believing their
authors hearts were moved by some divine power.
3KWL
- What do you know about the Renaissance period?
- What do you want to know about the Renaissance
period? - What have you learned about the renaissance
period?
4Historical Background
- The Renaissance, which means rebirth, is a
period that saw many changes and innovations.
Among them were the rediscovery of - Classical art and literature
- The exploration of regions of the globe that were
previously unknown in Europe - The discovery that the earth revolves around the
sun - An upsurge in trade and invention
5Historical Background
- The rebirth lasted in Italy from the early 1300s
until 1550, and gradually extended its influence
northward. - In England, it lasted from 1485 to 1625.
6Cultural Movements of the Renaissance
- Humanism advocated a return to classical
studies and ideals. It began in Italy in 14th
century with the first famous writers were
Petrarch and Boccaccio. - The humanist viewed the classics as a source of
moral and practical wisdom. - The humanist movement influenced great Italian
artists Michelangelo and Leonardo de Vinci.
7Cultural Movements of the Renaissance
- Age of Rationalism or enlightenment spanned the
seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. - Reason was accepted as the greatest authority in
art, thought, and politics. - Philosophers challenged folk wisdom, attempting
to replace traditional lore with formal laws
based on the analysis of natural phenomena. - There was a renewed focus on nature throughout
society, and encouraged curiosity in the sciences.
8Cultural Movements in the Renaissance
- Industrial Revolution people employed reason
not only to advance theory but also to regulate
and enhance their daily existence. - Improvement of the steam engine lead to
industrial production - Inventions such as the syringe, air pump, mercury
thermometer, mainspring clock, and cotton gin
provided effective new ways of solving problems.
9Literature of the Renaissance
- Literature was a branch of rhetoric, the art of
spoken language for teaching, giving pleasure and
persuading. - During the Renaissance period, there were a lot
of elaborate speeches written. - The literature also was used as a form to
persuade readers to do good. It was used to
train the will by increasing mans horror of evil
and by strengthening his resolve to act well.
10Literature of the Renaissance
- The Machiavellian concept(crafty and deceitful)
emerged based on Machiavellis book The Prince in
which readers were taught that Rulers were saved
not by their goodness, but by their strength,
cunning, and ability. - Many works moved from being written in the formal
language of Latin, to the vernacular, or native
language. Works appeared in French, Italian and
Spanish.
11Literature of the Renaissance
- Many of the works from this time period were
modeled after old forms, to create new meaning. - Petrarch noted, we must write just as the bees
make honey, not keeping the flowers (works of the
other writers) but turning them into a sweetness
all our own, blending many different flavors into
one, which shall be unlike them all, and better.
12Literature of the Renaissance
- Invention also impacted the literature of the
period. The creation of movable type by
Gutenberg allowed for the widespread distribution
of the Bible. - Newspapers began to grow in popularity which led
to the creation of Public Opinion.
13Literature of the Renaissance
- Some of the famous works of this time period
- Italian or Petrarchan Sonnets
- Shakespearean Sonnets
- Miguel de Cervantes Don Quixote
14Unit 6 Literary Focus Sonnets
- Sonnet a fourteen-line lyric poem that is
written in iambic pentameter. - Types of Sonnets There are two major types of
sonnets. The Italian or Petrarchan sonnet is
named after the Italian poet Petrarch. The
English or Shakespearean sonnet is named after
William Shakespeare. The main difference between
the two is the rhyme scheme.
15Characteristics of Sonnets
- Common Themes love, lost love, and the
admiration of a fair-haired beauty are a few of
the more common themes in early sonnets. - Examples
- Love is in all the water, earth, and air,/And
love possesses every living thing.-from Spring
by Petrarch. - Love is not love/Which alters when it alteration
finds..-from Sonnet 116 by Shakespeare
16Characteristics of SonnetsLiterary Devices
- Alliteration the repetition of initial
consonant sounds. Ex. For the wind to toy and
tangle - Consonance the repetition of final consonant
sounds in stressed syllables containing
dissimilar vowel sounds. Ex. Let me not to the
marriage of true minds/ Admit impediments
17Literary Devices Continued
- Personification giving human characteristics to
nonhuman subjects. Ex. The rose/ in her
beautiful youth - Simile using the words like or as to compare
two dissimilar things. Ex. in loves soft
bands,/ Like captives trembling at the victors
sight
18Literary Devices Continued
- Metaphor speaking of a subject as though it
were something else as a way to compare and
contrast two dissimilar things. Ex. The sky
folds its wings over you, / Lifting you - Conceit a startling and often elaborate
comparison between two apparently different
things. Often, this extended metaphor forms the
controlling idea of the entire sonnet. Ex. For
her who carried in her little hand/ my hearts
key to her heavenly sojourn
19Sonnets continued
- Sonnet Sequences a series of sonnets that allow
the poet to trace the development of a
relationship or examine different aspects of a
single theme. - Petrarch wrote a series of sonnets to a lifelong
love named Laura. - Shakespeares 154 sonnets are the most famous
sonnet sequence in the English language.
20Petrarchan Sonnet
- The Italian or Petrarchan sonnet consists of an
octave (eight-line stanza) and a sestet (six-line
stanza). - The octave rhyme scheme is usually abba abba.
- The sestet has the rhyme scheme of cdecde, or
cdedce, or cdcdcd. - The octave states a theme or asks a questions
that the sestet answers or resolves.
21English or Shakespearean Sonnet
- Consists of three quatrains (four-line stanzas)
and a final couplet (two lines). - The rhyme scheme is abab cdcd efef gg.
- Each of the three quatrains explores a different
aspect of the poems subject. - The couplet presents a concluding comment.