The Renaissance in Europe
Read the Handout The Renaissance in Europe available under “Course Documents.” What is the main difference between the world of Chaucer (the period of the Middle Ages), and the Renaissance?
What is the literal meaning of the term Renaissance? To what does it refer? Describe the chronological span (duration) of this cultural movement.
Explain how the use of the term Renaissance has widened considerably in our days. Who were the humanists? What contributed to the considerable amount of contact among humanists? Mention some ideas of the high Renaissance anticipated by Petrarch.
What is considered the Renaissance code of behavior? Considering the emphasis placed on the immediate and tangible, explain the meaning of the word virtue.
How is the religious temper of the age expressed in its art? Describe how human intellect is portrayed in Renaissance literature?