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Amidst social unrest and intellectual stagnation, 14 th and 15 th century scholars argued, emerged the Renaissance, the rebirth. It did not take long for this pervasive and intriguing way of life to escape from the confines of small 14 th century city-states in Italy to receptive Europeans around them. The new avant-garde outlook adopted by Europe as a whole encompassed an array of ideas, beliefs, and means of expressive creativity. The humanism of the Italian Renaissance gave birth to the modern concept of individuality. New individualism spurred learning, artistic vision, burgeoning interests in cultures and sciences, and a love of antiquity. The values and purposes of Renaissance education were to improve society, increase economic prosperity, and restore religious beliefs.
Intellectual endeavor touched upon studies (grammar, rhetoric, geometry, music, Philosophy, and Humanities) by which we (the nobility) may attain enlightenment of the mind (Doc 1, 2). This is the obsession that blazed inside every Prince, every noble, every leading citizen, and all those that considered themselves part and parcel of upper class lifestyle (Doc 1). From this thirst for knowledge developed the Renaissance Man. The Renaissance Man was a paragon of civic humanism. Based on the idea that man is a social animal, he was supposed to be a disciplined as well as an integrated member of society. He would exude confidence and demonstrate virtue by putting the good of the community first, cultivating his mind, fulfilling his role as an exemplary citizen, and taking care of his family.
Being a citizen meant more than just living in the city; it meant being immersed in city life and politics by active service to the state. To attain this state, education was a prerequisite. The social lives of people were greatly influenced by advancements in education. Institutes for Learning and training in Virtue were mechanisms of self-betterment and furthermore civil righteousness (Doc 2). People were taught to understand and judge the writings of others. Francesco Petrarch, the great Renaissance humanist, noted the vast popularity that classical literature had gained in the then recent past; by first writing his works in vernacular he increased the potential audience for his humanist ideas.
The Italian humanist Piccolomini, who himself was educated, believed that philosophy and literature, should be taught to individuals, because these studies revealed the truths about the past, the reality of the present, and the predictions of the future. In his book, On the Education of Free Men, written in 1450, he wrote, Where there is no literature, there is ignorance! This was a popular idea during the Renaissance. Erasmus, a northern humanist, once wrote, the student devotes his attention to the content of the literatures of Ancient Greece and Rome because with slight qualification the whole of attainable knowledge lies therein (Doc 4). He believed that all the knowledge within human reach lies in the literatures of ancient Greece and Rome.
The rebirth of classical literature, and especially the attempts of the philosophical elite to translate this literature, helped communicate this enlightening knowledge to the growing number literate people. As passion for education rapidly increased, the concept of individuality permeated the more affluent members of society. Although this movement is usually considered cosmopolitan in nature, it was very much an elitist undertaking; the lower classes and women were regarded as limited in potential and were led to believe they could not achieve a level of intellectual intelligence equal to that of the great classical philosophers because they had no use for it. And, no matter how individuals of the lower classes and females alike strived for recognition, they always ran last.
Thus, the Renaissance humanistic school of thought was quixotic for the less privileged members of society. For those who were learned in Humanities and liberal arts, the potential for social growth was boundless (Doc 2). Leon Battista Alberti noted his belief that Men can do all things if they will, and truly this was the belief of the people, especially with the vast growth of universities in the High Middle Ages. Although the popularity of classical literature continued to spread, it paled in comparison to the strength of the individual fostered by humanist ideals. Men such as Castiglione promoted the idea of the stylish courtier, which called upon the nobility to adopt a prescribed lifestyle. This unrivalled courtier had knowledge of the antiquities, writing and philosophy as well as being proficient at practices such as music, penmanship and dancing (Docs 3, 8, 9).
Courtiers, aristocrats and nobles were able to write poetry and prose. Instead of educating themselves with the intention of becoming scholars, they learned a little of everything that was considered intellectual (e. g. liberal arts and humanities). To quote a famous philosopher or to recite an excerpt of a poem was fashionable at the time and helped one mingle with socially elite. Even Guicciardini, a half-hearted courtier, reluctantly said, Skills of this sort open the way to the favor of the princes, and sometimes to great profit and honors (Doc 9).
He deemed that the finer things (e. g. good reputation in eyes of prince) in life could only be gained through the humanist education. By being educated and conversant in the antiquities, having good penmanship, knowing how to ride, play, dance, sing, and dress well, men of high status gained respect and social standing (Doc 3, 8, 9). These skills also helped to achieve preference and support among princes.
As the upper class grew so did the economy. With a stronger and larger economy, more schools were built (Doc 18). With more school systems available, more children were able to receive an education, and thus more students were able to attend universities, and later on take part in the growing economy. Northern humanists in particular felt the need to send children to school so as to educate them in theology as well as the liberal arts. At least twice a year, every pastor was to warn the people that they best send their children to school (Doc 12). This provided the demand for more schools to cater to the growing number of (bourgeois) students, which consequently gave rise to complainers.
Montaigne believed the educational system was flawed and the ancients were not the ultimate authority. The school system did not teach youth how to prepare for the real world. Many individuals thought that having too many schools was detrimental to society; only a minority of men should study literature, because more farmers were needed than magistrates, more soldiers than priests, more merchants than philosophers, and more hard working groups than dreamy and thoughtful individuals (Doc 17). Those things which are real, wrote John Amos Comenius, and are fit to enlighten mens minds and to prepare them for action were reserved for the Universities (Doc 19). Hence, students were given a taste of knowledge in school, but true intellectual purpose would ultimately come from university education, or would it? Students spent too much time on Grammar, Rhetoric, and Logic toys, claimed Comenius (Doc 19).
They were only able to write Latin, which no one of judgment would want to read, and when they went to universities, they wasted their friends money and their own precious time (Doc 17). Afterwards, they would return home again, as unsophisticated and uneducated as they were before. As both school and university are inherently flawed according to the aforementioned documents, it is only fair to presume that the consummate man comes from within rather than from the mechanics of teaching. The Renaissance affected people all over Europe, for the better and for the worse.
Many people finally had a chance to control their own fates, while others, such as upper class women, who although educated were only expected to be well-informed showpieces at home. Schools for girls were built, but they were taught sewing, reading, writing, dancing, and playing instruments (Doc 14, 15). Their education only prepared them for social life at home. They were merely home entertainment for male guests.
This is evidenced by the insular view of a Spanish humanist, Juan Luis Vives: Learning is nourishment for the maliciousness of their nature. When a woman is taught to read the classics, let the books teach her good manners and when she learns to write, let (them be) taken out of holy scripture of the sayings of philosophers (Doc 5). Erasmus remained ambiguous on a womens place in society; but, did commit to saying that study busies the soul, which could otherwise be interpreted as education being a deterrent to sinful behavior and an incentive to follow the path of virtue (leading home). Since women were viewed as intrinsically malevolent (Doc 5) they were never educated too much because they then might forget their place in society. Women lost political clout, access to property and their role in shaping society.
Northern Renaissance education helped restore religious beliefs. The classics did not eclipse Christian doctrine; in fact, there was an integration of the two, creating an altogether different humanist, one that mixed secular and religious beliefs without conflict. The amalgamation of the two produced the Christian humanists. The fundamentals of their philosophy were rooted in religion, not classics, and for this reason there was a modernization of Christian doctrine and practices.
Learning produced the fear of God, virtue, and discipline that was needed to achieve salvation (Doc 12). As a consequence, people then believed they would somehow be incomplete and would not therefore be able to function and live a good life. Religion endorsed edification. Having the free will to question previous beliefs put in place by the Renaissance planted the seed of change for the Catholic Reformation and Protestant Reformation.
In spite of all the Renaissance stood for, the rigid hierarchal pattern of society remained constant nonetheless with very little development in the lower classes and amongst females. People believed that learning could transform one for the better, but by the 1600 s there were more to whom it was available. It was precisely this that led to unease and criticism. Knowles, Elizabeth.
The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations. Oxford: Oxford University Press Inc. , 2001.
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