Renaissance Humanism: Key Figures and Concepts

Renaissance Humanism

Influences of the Renaissance: Humanism was a cultural movement that arose in Italy in the 14th century and extended throughout Europe until the finals of the sixteenth century.

Characteristics:

• Individual self-valuation.
• Affan for the physical and intellectual education of the youth.
• Reading and imitation of classical authors.
• Love for old books, especially original texts.
• Intimate religiosity.
• Aspiration to a clear and simple literary style without excessive expression.

Important Humanist Figures:

• Erasmus of Rotterdam (1469-1536): His travels led to a movement called Erasmianism, which had followers in Spain during the reign of Charles V.
• Petrarch (1304-1374): The Italian writer and poet most influenced the development of the Renaissance. His work Il Canzoniere led to a movement called Petrarchism.
• Garcilaso de la Vega: Represents the ideal of the Renaissance man; he was a poet, a military expert, and fought in numerous battles in the service of Emperor Charles V. He died of wounds sustained in battle. As a poet, he was a trusted courtier of Emperor Charles V, who taught him to write letters in Spanish. He is credited with renovating Spanish poetry in the 16th century. He imitated Petrarch and the classics, revitalizing Renaissance love poetry. His feelings were a reflection of life experience, not mere imitation. His style is characterized by formal simplicity and the containment of his sentiments. His production includes 38 sonnets, 5 songs, 2 elegies, 3 eclogues, 7 odes, and 7 coplas. He fell in love with Elizabeth Freire, a Portuguese lady.
• Fray Luis de León: The most representative figure of the second Renaissance, a period where classical Greco-Roman culture merged with Christian intellectual ideas. His passionate and independent nature made him many enemies.

Neoplatonism

The first philosophical current that considered nature as a reflection or emanation of the divine light.

New Ways of Relating to Nature and Love:

• Locus Amoenus: A new way of relating to nature, where nature is seen as a reflection of the divine.
• New Concept of Love: Passionate love turns into platonic love; the poet sees the feminine figure as total perfection.

Classical Myths

Classical references signified a return to the reasons of the medieval world, offering a first vision of the Christian world from a pagan perspective.

Tag (Sententia)

Literary reasons coined by classic writers to express attitudes towards life.

Carpe Diem

Seize the day.

Fray Luis de León's Thought:

• His ideas stem from Greek philosophy and Christianity.
• The most important idea is that spiritual perfection is achieved through study and austerity in life.
• Inner peace is the highest aspiration for humanity, obtainable only by living according to nature and reason.
• Fray Luis's favorite subjects are friendship, the stress of urban life, the love of nature, and music.