Humanities & Classics 1002
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Renaissance Forum
Humanities & Classics 1002 |
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In Reply to: PLEASE POST YOU FIRST REQUIRED POSTING AS A REPLY TO THIS posted by TOM BACIG on December 13, 1998 at 19:30:06:
Man's view of God, religion, and himself changed quickly during the Renaissance.
During midevil times, one admirable trait in mankind was stability. This is
evident in the writings of Ralph the Bald - Vilgard "occupied himself with more
eagerness than constancy" and was possessed by the devil as a result. Another
characteristic contrary to Christianity he showed was pride. He was proud of
his knowledge of literature. He was so proud, in fact, his pride caused demons
to come to him, and caused him to "TEACH MANY THINGS CONTRARY TO HOLY FAITH"!
This was a grave mistake in a society where all learning was discouraged unless
it was something already known. Any new thought was unacceptable.
Thomas a Kempis' writings have a similar line of thought. Piety was treasured
in a Kempis' society. Man should "forsake this wretched world", draw into
himself, and suffer for Christ to find peace. Silent suffering and patience
("Christ had adversaries, and suffered shrewd speakers; and thou darest complain
on any body? How shall thy patience be crowned if there come no adversity?")
were necessary for any religious man. Self-denial was the key to happiness -
"If thou forsake outward comfort, thou shalt be able to behold heavenly things
and ofttimes have jubulation within". To capture the spirit of the times, man
must feel lower than anyone else - "Account thyself never to have profited till
thou feel thee lower than all others."
This was definitely the attitude of the monks in "The Name Of The Rose". Heresy
was despised, and the monks, like those around Viligard, were quick to name the
devil as responsible for all problems rather than look for some physical or
natural reason. Viligard's possession could have been the result of some
physical or mental problem, but people in that time immediately attributed it to
the devil. The monks thought the deaths were the result of the devil, so they
kept the problem quiet and upped their prayer time to please God.
Around the same time as Thomas a Kempis, Christine de Pisan began writing her
own views. Hers, however, were an attack on the commonly held views on women.
She asserted that women, rather than men, were Christlike and long-suffering.
She denied that women were "naturally lecherous and gluttonous", and went so far
as to say that men are "evil, diabolical people who wish to twist the good...in
women into evil and reproach." Her works reflect the changing attitude in
sociey, for in the past a woman wouldn't have dared to think the things that
Christine writes. Pico della Mirandola held a similar view relating to mankind.
He believed that the humility of Christianity was unnecessary, because "There is
nothing to be seen more wonderful than Man", and even went so far as to
capitalize every "Man" in the text, just like "God". Man was created, in his
opinion, by the Artist to "ponder the rationality of a work so great, to love
its beauty, and to wonder at its vastness." He was also given free will. This
makes man great, because he is the only being who can choose his place, and
decide what he will be. Man, he concludes, should not be "content with the
mediocre", rather he should "pant after the highest". Pico della Mirandola
obviously admires the human mind, which can think, create, love. He adores
man's "varied, manifold, and inconstant nature", rather than stability, because
it makes man so individualistic. These traits are the complete opposite of the
previous views of men by Christians, they surely would consider him a heretic.
The letter of Cincius Romanus to his teacher, Franciscus de Fiana, illustrates a
view unheard of in pre-Renaissance times. He believed that all literature (even
heretic), artwork, all cultural aspects of life should be salvaged and revered.
He condemns the men who "deprive the public of culture, of the liberal arts and
actually of all nourishment of the human mind" and even insinuates that these
people should be put to death, for killing the minds of the people. This view
was shared by William from "The Name of the Rose".
He risked his life to save books while the castle was burning, simply because
his love of literature was so great. William seemed to encompass Reniassance
views while holding sacred his love of God. As an intermediary between the two
extremes, he fou