The Renaissance
1485-1625
Five senses: hearing, seeing, tasting, feeling, and
smelling Helps to understand world around us Smell citrus, feel tough outer skin, see the color orange
Children start out in this state Slave to desires/needs
A child is but a slave To that which he needs
Crying for milkTears coming down in beads
Three Sources of Knowledge
Reason and Intellect
“Reason is a mental faculty (or ability) found in humans, that is able to generate conclusions from assumptions or premises. In other words, it is amongst other things the means by which rational beings propose specific reasons, or explanations of cause and effect.1”
First establish by Greeks such as Aristotle and Plato
One elevates by reasonTo a lofty station
Concluding from natureTo reach the Destination
The Second Source of Knowledge
1http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reason
Revelation (الوحي)
Al-Qur’an Al-Hadith
Story of Imam Abu Hanifah
Sufficient for us What is in the nassFrom Allah we learn
To Him we return
The Third Source of Knowledge
‘Aqidah
is literally to tie a knot عقد القلب عقد هو العقيدة ‘Aqidah represents the beliefs of the heart
Originally Surah al-Ikhlas was sufficient
Muslim ‘Aqidah
Early in 9th century CE (2rd century AH) saw an
influx of Greek texts into Muslim lands Mostly the translators were Christians Caliphs at the time pushed for this (Al-Ma’mun
(CE 813-33) and Al-Mu’tasim (CE 833-42)) Many of the ideas challenged Islam
Example: One of the basic axioms of Greek philosophy is that “nothing can come from nothing” (Walzer 13).
Allah created the entire world from nothing.
Introduction of Greek Philosophy
Some completely embraced Greek philosophy Others completely rejected Others still found a middle road of using Greek
philosophy to explain depth of ‘Aqidah Ibn Rushd (Averroes) said Greek philosophy and
religion are both paths to the same destination Similar trend in European history
Reactions
High emphasis on religion Beowulf: dealt with pagan themes but put a
Christian spin on it
The European Middle Ages
French word: “rebirth” or “renewal” Began in Italy Printing press: 1450’s Return to studying ancient texts of Greeks and
Romans
The Renaissance
Humanism
Celebrated the individual
Stimulated the study of Greek and Roman literature and culture
Was supported by wealthy patrons
Jacob Burckhardt says the Renaissance represented “the discovery of the world and of man.”
The Renaissance Cont.
Middle Ages – highest wisdom was knowledge of divine
things Learned by God’s grace and through revelation
Renaissance – deprecation of contemplative life rooted in faith and praise of active life and study of political and social man
Etienne Gibson says, “The difference between the Renaissance and the Middle Ages was not a difference by addition but by subtraction. The Renaissance, as it has been described to us, was not the Middle Ages plus man, but the Middle Ages minus God, and the tragedy is that in losing God the Renaissance was losing man himself” (Barnet X).
The Other Side
Parents: John and Katherine Marlowe Father was shoemaker Lived in Canterbury, England Received scholarship to Corpus Christi
College, Cambridge University
Christopher Marlowe
BA in 1584; MA in 1587 1587 Cambridge first refused to grant his
Master’s because of Marlowe’s absences from college, but Queen Elizabeth’s Privy Council sent a letter stating: “that in all his accions he had behaved him selfe orderlie and discreetlie wherebie he had done her Majestie good service, & deserved to be rewarded for his faithful dealinge…”
Frequent trips to Rheims, France--to visit or spy on Catholics?
Christopher Marlowe Cont.
May 30, 1593
Murder said to have been committed in the private room of house in Deptford
Puritans gloated that it was a judgment from God
Marlowe had been arrested on May 20th. Charged with Atheism
Heresy Burning at the stake
Was released with a lesser sentence
Death
Marlowe was with friends and acquaintances
of Walsingham An argument erupted Marlowe drew the dagger of Ingram Frizer
tried to stab Frizer Instead, received fatal stab wound over his
right eye Some speculate his death to be a government
plot Frizer was released without trial within 28 days
of the brawl
Death
Dido Queen of Carthage (1586) Tamburlaine, I and II (1587-88) The Jew of Malta (1590) The Massacre at Paris
(1590) Edward II (1592-93) Dr. Faustus (1594)
Works
Dr. Faustus
Probably written in 1592 Reinvention of an old
motif Individual who sells his or
her soul to the devil for knowledge
Based on a real person Johannes Faustus Disreputable German
astrologer (early 1500’s)
More about Faustus
Immediate source is a German work from 1587
Marlowe’s Faustus is the first famous version of the story
Later, Romantic writers would revisit it Goethe
“Faustian bargain” – any deal made for short-term gain with great costs in the long run
www.wepapers.com/Papers/.../
The_English__Renaissance.ppt teacher.cgs.k12.va.us/rsmith/English9/Faustus%20BD
%202.ppt gosps.net/faculty/WSigler/.../Faustus/Faustus%20pwr
%20pnt.ppt Walzer, Richard. Greek Into Arabic: Essays on Islamic
Philosophy. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1962. Print.
Marlowe, Christopher, and Sylvan Barnet. Doctor Faustus. New York: Signet Classics, 1969. Introduction. Print.
Sources
