Renaissance

 

The Renaissance is a cultural movement that started in Italy in the 14th century, and spread to the other European countries during the 15th and 16th centuries. The Renaissance marks the ending of the medieval era and beginning of the modern age. The meaning of the word 'renaissance' is rebirth. It is the revival of classical Greek and Roman civilization based on humanism, free thinking, democratic norms and values, etc. Renaissance freed human beings from the grip of theological medieval era and opened a new world where people were not enslaved by dogmatism, but guided by rationalism. The movement did not begin overnight. However, many scholars believe that it began in 1453 after Turks captured Constantinople. The Greek scholars left the city for different European states where they spread the new thinking and enlightened the people with the new knowledge characterized by a sense of inquiry. The event accelerated the movement though the spirit of renaissance had been gradually developing in the Medieval Age.

Renaissance brought a remarkable change in status of human beings, education, religion, arts and architecture, and system of governance in the world. Renaissance dismissed the supreme existence of God and freed the humanity from its slavery to God. Renaissance thinkers declared the independence humanity putting human at the centre. And the artists celebrated the humanity by drawing and sketching human beings. Renaissance causes the democratization of religion, knowledge and governance. In Germany, Martin Luther started a revolt against the conventions of the Roman Catholic Church. And as a result, the Bible was translated into several European national languages. This enabled the common people to read and interpret the Holy book themselves without any interference of the church authorities. Before the Renaissance education was limited to scholars and privileged people. Thanks to the printing press, knowledge and ideas easily travelled from one part of the world to another, and the commoners got an easy approach to the books. Changes in the political system was another achievement of the contemporary period. People were thinking of governments based on the democratic values of ancient Greece. Italy, the birthplace of the Renaissance, established city-states that governed themselves.

During the renaissance, people had a strong desire to explore and learn about the world. The world witnessed an unprecedented development in the areas of art, literature, science and traveling. The art and architecture flourished during the Renaissance. The Italian cities saw great painters and sculptors, like Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and Raphael. These gifted artists created the finest works of art still popular even today. Renaissance developed a new kind of architecture that blended the old, classical styles with new ideas. England produced many writers, including William Shakespeare; and Spain had the literature of Cervantes. In the area of natural science, some amazing discoveries were made by Galileo, Kepler, and Newton. Some of their ideas challenged the existing beliefs of the time. For example, Galileo claimed it was not the Earth, but the sun that was the centre of the solar system. Later he had to recant though he knew he was right. Sailing around the world during the renaissance helped people exchange ideas and develop trade across the waters. Sailors started setting out on voyages of discovery.  They found new routes developing their navigation technology, and reached the several countries of Asia, Africa and North America. Columbus, Vasco de Gama, Cabot, Magellan, and Drake are some notable explorers of the time. Thus, exploration of the world through sailing conceives the idea of globalization in the modern era.

The Renaissance did not appear out of a sudden when Turks took over Constantinople or when the first book was printed in 1455. Europeans had for long a passion for a progressive humanity that allows them to establish a society based on rationality and free thinking. Several philosophers, thinkers, writers, artists, scientist and explorers contributed to lend a life to the European dream of creating a new world different from the medieval era. Finally the world felt the changes in every field of humanity. Since these changes contributed to the formation of the modern era, the Renaissance is believed to have marked the beginning of modernity.