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Humanism was a revolution in culture that began in Florence Italy in the 14th century. This paper will examine humanism from its birth following the rediscovery and popularization of classical Greek culture; it will explore the importance and expression of humanistic thinking and feelings; and it will reveal the way in which the humanists reconciled their beliefs with those of a world still dominated by religious dogma. Leonardo da Vinci's The Virgin of the Rocks and Petrarch’s sonnets will be analyzed in terms of both their content and form.
The middle ages extended approximately from the 5th century until the fifteenth century. During this period of time, the Catholic Church dominated all facets of European life including philosophy, art, literature, architecture and education. Philosophical argument was used to convert the nonbeliever but philosophy that contradicted religious doctrine was heretical. Art was used to glorify God and therefore paintings generally depicted religious scenes with the holiest subjects being larger and more centrally placed compared with less holy subjects. While some secular literature was created during the Middle Ages, the majority of books written were religious texts. The Gothic architecture of the Middle Ages produced churches with stained-glass windows, tapestries and attached statues all designed to invoke a sense of religious mysticism. The universities of the Middle Ages were also controlled by the church which resulted in very limited and indirect access to (pagan) ancient Greek and Roman philosophy.
The goal of this control by the Catholic Church of all facets of human existence during the Middle Ages was designed to ensure that people understood that their only role in this life was to get to heaven in the next. Human existence on earth was a necessary burden to be endured before been granted access to heaven and had no intrinsic value. Mankind, being inherently sinful and stupid was not able to...