HUMANISM
IN ENGLISH LITERATURE
(Origin, Definition, Features, Examples)
Humanism (also known as
Renaissance Humanism) is a social, cultural, artistic and philosophical
movement that originated in northern Italy during the 13th and 14th centuries
and later spread through continental Europe and England. It was a movement
where people started questioning the age old Christian ethos and people started
giving more importance to individual efforts in the spiritual as well as
material journey of life. Humanism became a core feature of Renaissance
literature during the 16th century. Petrarch, Boccaccio and Dante
are believed to be the founding members of Humanism in Italian literature.
HUMANISM – ORIGIN AND DEFINITION:
The term ‘Humanism’ was
first used as “Humanismus” by 19th-century German scholars to describe the
Renaissance emphasis on Classical studies in education. The Humanist Movement
started with three Italian authors: Dante Alighieri, Giovanni Boccaccio, and
Petrarch.
1. Putting human beings and
other living beings at the center our moral outlook.
2. Seeing the world as a
natural place and using our reason to make sense out of this world.
3. Man is at the center, no
spiritual deity is responsible for your life.
4.
Ability of human beings to determine for themselves
truth and falsehood.
In
his essay ‘The Faith of a Humanist’, Kenneth Phifer explains Humanism:
“Humanism teaches us that it is immoral
to wait for God to act for us. We must act to stop the wars and the crimes and
the brutality of this and future ages. We have powers of a remarkable kind. We
have a high degree of freedom in choosing what we will do. Humanism tells us
that whatever our philosophy of the universe may be, ultimately the
responsibility for the kind of world in which we live rests with us.”
HUMANISM IN ENGLISH LITERATURE:
The
effect of humanism on English literature was wide and far-reaching. In fact,
English humanism flourished in two stages: the first a basically academic
movement that had its roots in the 15th century and culminated in the work of
Sir Thomas More, Sir Thomas Elyot, and Roger Ascham, and the second a poetic
revolution led by Sir Philip Sidney, Marlowe and William Shakespeare.
Almost
all important works written during the Elizabethan age were influenced by the
spirit of Humanism. Humanistic ideals are seen in works such as ‘The Prince’ by
Machiavelli, ‘The Republic’ by Plato, ‘Utopia’ by Thomas More, ‘Doctor Faustus’
by Marlowe and ‘Hamlet’ by Shakespeare.
1.
Thomas More’s famous ‘Utopia’
(1516) is a satire on traditional institutions and offers an imaginary
alternative, a model society based on reason and nature.
2.
Sir Thomas Elyot wrote ‘The Book
Named the Governor’ (1531), is also a lengthy treatise expressing humanistic
ideas. It deals with the virtues to be cultivated by statesmen.
3.
Philip Sidney’s major works – ‘Astrophel
and Stella’, ‘Defence of Poesie’, and the two versions of ‘Arcadia’ are medleys
of humanistic themes.
4.
Marlowe’s ‘Tamburlaine’ (1590) too
expresses the spirit of humanism. Mark
these words of Theridamas:
“A God is not so
glorious as a King,
I thinke the pleasure
they enjoy in heaven
Can not compare with
kingly joyes in earth.”
5.
Shakespeare too was influenced
by the spirit of individualism and humanism which can be traced in most of his
tragedies. In ‘Hamlet’ (1603), the protagonist eulogizes the dignity and beauty
of human life. He says:
What a piece of work
is man!
How noble in reason!
How infinite in faculty!
In form and moving and
how express and admirable!
How like an angel!
In apprehension how
like a god!
The beauty of the world!
CONCLUSION:
In
nutshell, Humanism in Renaissance literature in a literary and intellectual
movement in which the main principles were to value reason over faith, and to
make people the center of one’s existence. Renaissance humanism
highlighted the idea that every individual must be responsible citizen and a
leader in the community. Humanism as a Renaissance movement started from Italy
during the 14th century and influenced English literature during the
16th and 17th centuries.
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