Download The Spirit of the Renaissance Niccolò Machiavelli

THE SPIRIT OF THE RENAISSANCE:
NICCOLÒ MACHIAVELLI
Kristina Kline
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE
RENAISSANCE
• The Renaissance was a
significant time period of
cultural rebirth across
Europe during the 14 th –
17th centuries. It is defined
by a newly found
enthusiasm for education,
classical literature, and the
arts.
During the Renaissance, relatively ordinary
Europeans became enlightened by classical philosophy
to think for themselves.
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE
RENAISSANCE: SOCIAL EFFECTS
• The secularist movement that took place during the Renaissance can be
highly attributed to the invention of the printing press:
• Before the Renaissance, the clergy and few nobles held the sole privilege
of higher education; the Bible was written in languages unknown to the
greater public, and so it was interpreted and preached strictly by the
Church.
• The easy access for voluntary education brought about by the printing
press, however, allowed the Europeans to interpret Christian teachings for
themselves and, more importantly, question the Church.
• In addition, the invention of the printing press allowed great philosophical
works of the time to be quickly dispersed among the common people and
nobles alike.
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE
RENAISSANCE: CULTURAL EFFECTS
•
In regard to the arts, Renaissance sculptors and painters were renowned for their
revolutionary taste for intricate techniques and styles. Art was dominated by
realism: perspective, lights and shadows, and geometrical figures.
•
This greatly contrasted the symbolic styles of medieval art which originated heavily
from Christian values and were accentuated by shallow and uneven proportions.
•
Literature was equally affected by the new philosophies of the Renaissance.
Shakespeare dared to explore the intricate extents of the English language, while
Niccolò Machiavelli and Giovanni Pico della Mirandola questioned popular
sentiment in regards to government and human nature.
• This realistic perspective, in turn, greatly contrasted the religious and fantasydominated literary themes of the Middle Ages.
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE
RENAISSANCE
The Feast in the House of Levi (1573)
| Paolo Veronese |
This Renaissance-era painting highlights the themes of realism and natural
proportion that evolved from the Dark Ages and dominated Renaissance art.
| BIOGRAPHY |
• Niccolò Machiavelli was born in Florence, Italy on May 3, 1469.
Intrigued by government and philosophy at a young age, Machiavelli
dedicated fourteen years of his life as a diplomat to the Florentine
Republic.
• When the Medici family regained authority of Florence, Machiavelli
was dismissed of his position and thrown into jail. Here, Machiavelli
found himself studying Roman literature and composing his own
works regarding man’s potential in monarchial governance.
• One of these works, The Prince (1532), takes a realistic approach on
the capabilities of a powerful ruler. In this respect, The Prince defines
the humanist values of the Renaissance.
• Today, Machiavelli’s poems, plays, and revolutionary works including
The Prince earn him the legacy of the “father of modern political
theory.”
| THE PRINCE |
• The Prince (1532) by Niccolò Machiavelli
is perhaps one of the greatest literary
works surviving the Renaissance era.
• Expressively dedicated to Lorenzo de’
Medici, The Prince serves as a guide for
effective monarchial rule.
An early edition of The Prince
(1550)
• In summary, The Prince accentuates cruel
and deceitful tactics as the most efficient
methods to hold and enact power in a
monarchial state.
|THE PRINCE|
AND HUMANISM
•
The Renaissance value of humanism greatly influences The Prince because
Machiavelli, a humanist himself, targets human nature in portraying the ideal
monarchy. Humanists of the Renaissance were devout proponents of human
potential; throughout The Prince, Machiavelli articulately examines the dynamics
of humanity. He understands that while a good ruler should possess some
admirable qualities, it is impossible for any authentic being to be entirely good.
Therefore, Machiavelli introduces the concept that characteristics like cruelty
and dishonesty are necessary to effectively hold power over a state.
•
Unlike other humanists of his time, Machiavelli was perhaps the first to
creatively explore relatively unethical methods of rule while roaming within the
intellectual bounds of humanism. This is why The Prince is considered to be
such a great work from the Renaissance period: Machiavelli attempts to
summarize human nature from a disturbingly accurate and realistic standpoint.
|THE PRINCE|
AND INDIVIDUALISM
•
The Renaissance virtue of individualism is also represented in Machiavelli’s
work, The Prince. Individualists of the Renaissance believed in a self-reliant and
independent mind, one that worked towards the promotion of self-interest.
Machiavelli highlights these virtues when he advises rulers on how to achieve
absolute power. He even takes the time to point out specific characteristics that
would contribute to the individualistic well-being of a prince: courage, cruelty,
craftiness, confidence, and intelligence.
•
Machiavelli’s individualistic and perhaps psychological approach in identifying
human characteristics helps contribute to The Prince’s overall fame and legacy.
This is because he was among the first to tackle an in-depth analysis of the
relationship between a person and his quest for personal glory.
|THE PRINCE|
AND SCIENTIFIC NATURALISM
•
Scientific naturalism plays a significant role in the philosophy behind The Prince.
This doctrine goes hand in hand with humanism as Machiavelli takes a realistic
approach in summarizing the average qualities that compose human nature.
Scientific naturalists of the Renaissance focused prominently on viewing the
world from the most realistic perspective humanly possible. In this way,
Machiavelli examines human traits with natural assumptions and tries to stray
as far as possible from supernatural or religious affiliations.
•
Part of The Prince’s literary significance can be attributed to its recurring themes
of realism and naturalism. It is widely recognized for its brutal honesty; for
example, Machiavelli argues that a prince should force his people to depend on
him, whether it entails supplying limited resources or freedoms. While they
may be unethical, Machiavelli’s tactics are truly authentic.
|THE PRINCE|
AND SECULARISM
•
Secularism is the fourth and final Renaissance doctrine that heavily influences
Machiavelli’s The Prince. Secularists of the Renaissance promoted full separation
of Church and government. Similarly, Machiavelli never uses religious
reasoning to back his claims in his book. While he mentions that common
people have strong ties to religion, it is evident that he believes spiritual
argument is futile. Instead of being bound by supernatural or religious forces
imposed by the Church, Machiavelli argues that man himself holds the ability
to control his own destiny, which is why scientific logic reigns superior in the
assertions of The Prince.
•
The Prince is considered a great work of its time because of its ability to move
with the secularist movement of the Renaissance and break away from
prevailing religious themes. Machiavelli even pushes readers to a further level
of secularism, advising them to take his political strategies and challenge the
Church as an institution of power.
THE SPIRIT OF THE
RENAISSANCE
In summary, The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli serves as a precise
representation of the Spirit of the Renaissance.
Using the prevailing sentiments of his revolutionary time, Machiavelli builds
off of the virtues of humanism, individualism, scientific naturalism, and
secularism to create a “how-to” guide for successful monarchial rule. Every
aspect of his work moves away from the medieval reliance of religion and
uncertainty. Out of science and logic immersed obscure political strategies
that were unknown to rulers of the medieval era. No longer were people
merely defined by groups; Machiavelli urged his readers to use their individual
traits to their advantage. In essence, The Prince radiates the Spirit of the
Renaissance: the confidence and perseverance to own the present, to deviate
the norm, and to become legendary and powerful.