The Degree of Originality of Things Produced during the Renaissance - Essay Example

?Renaissance means “rebirth” and is seen as a time of intellectual growth and cultural progress. Looking at the major concepts and ideals representedin Renaissance art and literature, what is the degree of originality and “newness” of things produced during the Renaissance? Be sure to compare and contrast (discuss in detail) SPECIFIC EXAMPLES from the Renaissance and other time periods that may have influenced it. What does Francis Bacon think?  Renaissance has often been described as a transition period between the medieval ages and the Modern era (“Renaissance” 219). Also regarded as a period of ‘rebirth’, Renaissance resulted in the flourishing of arts and literature. Skepticism, humanism, emphasis on rational thought and reformulation of traditional belief systems, are some of the hallmarks of the Renaissance period. The practice of viewing everything with an eye of skepticism and daring to explore the unexplored led to the formulation of: the notion of Copernican motion, the acknowledgement of the unimaginable potential granted to man by Providence and most importantly the conviction that dogmatic religious ideology or a puritanical belief system is not the absolute. In the literary realm, Marlowe’s ‘Dr.Faustus’, can be categorized as a paradigmatic example of the Renaissance literature. In this monumental tragedy, Marlowe has intertwined classical elements with the much innovative characteristics that evolved during the Renaissance- man as an agent of his own suffering, the unquenchable thirst of man for more and lastly the highly individualistic philosophy of humanism- one that iterated man as being the centre of the universe. It is note-worthy that this text of Marlowe depicts both- adherence to and deviation from: the style, structure and themes adopted by the classical Greek playwrights. The following comparison between Marlowe’s, “Dr. Faustus” and Sophocles’, “Oedipus Rex” will substantiate this point. One of the stark differences between Marlowe’s and Sophocles’ protagonist is that the former “is born of parents, base of stock” ( Dr. Faustus. Prologue 11); whereas the latter has a royal lineage. Thus, Marlowe as opposed to his Greek counterpart introduced the concept that man’s magnanimity is neither dependent upon his genealogy nor upon his extraordinary achievements as a statesman or a brave warrior- unlike Agamemnon or Achilles. On the contrary, man’s intellectual achievements, as personified by Faustus, coupled with his ceaseless passion for rediscovery were for Marlowe, the sole criteria for ascertaining a man’s greatness. In addition to this, through his awe-inspiring tragedy, Marlowe also revolutionized the much popular debate between fate and free-will. According to the ancient Greeks, fate almost always superseded free-will. They believed that destiny was unalterable. Once his unintentional sin is disclosed to him, the Greek tragic hero, Oedipus considers himself as the victim of the malevolent forces of nature. However, instead of waging a battle against the Oracle; he realizes his limitations as a mortal, indulges in self-martyrdom by blinding himself and surrenders himself to the ominous fate that awaits him. Dr. Faustus, on the other hand, emerges out as an apostate by exclaiming that, “a sound magician is a demi-god” (I. i. 61). He undoubtedly epitomizes the Renaissance individual- one who unlike the classical Greek heroes, defies the dictates of Divinity. Moreover, Faustus also contests the notion that man’s abilities are limited. He is enticed by the secular-humanistic assertion made by Mephostophilis, “But think’st thou heaven is such a glorious thing?/I tell thee Faustus it is not half so fair/As thou or any man that breathes on earth” (II. ii. 5-7). Thus, Faustus adheres to the belief that Heaven is great, but man is greater still. Thus, by negating the supreme role played by fate and by placing much more emphasis on individual responsibility, Marlowe has iterated that the Renaissance individual’s suffering is for the most part, self-generated and in Faustus’ case, his anguish is the consequence of his over-ambitious and self-destructive indulgence in the black art of necromancy. This departure from the traditionally held belief systems that regarded fate as the sole determinant of human destiny, is undoubtedly one of the most innovative and unique contributions made by Marlowe to the Renaissance period. It is note-worthy that the literary giants of the Renaissance exhibited a renewed interest in the mythology and writings of the ancient Greeks and Romans. Marlowe’s, “Dr. Faustus” is also replete with allusions to the characters of Greek mythology and legendary figures such as: Helen, Olympus, Alexander, Hecate and the ever-lasting abode for the righteous- Elysium. Additionally Marlowe has also incorporated some structural features from the ancient Greek dramatists in his much acclaimed play. For instance, similar to Greek plays, a chorus in “Dr. Faustus” also highlights the predicament of the protagonist and is introduced both in the prologue as well as the epilogue. One of the most striking aspects of “Dr. Faustus” is that it tends to deviate from the concept of a perfect tragedy outlined by Aristotle in his treatise entitled, “Poetics”. Aristotle has maintained that the “…life and soul, so to speak of tragedy is the plot” and the characters occupy a secondary importance (Aristotle 15). However, in “Dr. Faustus”, it is evident that the protagonist, Faustus, is the life and soul of the entire tragic action that occurs throughout the play. The plots or events revolve around him and are therefore, of secondary importance. Hence, it can be asserted that as far as the concept of the plot as being the pivotal aspect of a tragic play is concerned, “Dr. Faustus” clearly refutes this Aristotelian concept. This harrowing tragedy deals with the psychological complexities and dichotomies harboured within Faustus. By disproving Aristotle’s hypothesis, Marlowe has unassailably refashioned and reformulated the notion of tragedy upheld in the classical Greek era. With the emergence of Renaissance, art in general and painting in particular assumed an altogether different dimension. In the classical Greek and Roman eras, decorated vases and sculptors were in vogue. Likewise, the Golden era of Byzantine had also seen a flourishing of arts and culture. However, in these afore-mentioned eras, not much emphasis was placed on making art life-like. The endeavour of making paintings and portraits resemble real life and of depicting man as a sentient being, was taken up by the renowned artistic masters of the Renaissance period- Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Mossacio (also known as Tomasso Guidi) and Rembrandt. Rembrandt was undoubtedly one of the most accomplished Dutch artists of the late Renaissance period- the seventeenth century. As an artist he drew portraits and composed many exquisite paintings for the church as well. His portraits mostly featured ordinary village people residing in the Dutch country side. One of his most thought-provoking portraits is entitled, “Young Girl at an Open Half-Door”. The “attractive subject of this portrait appears humble, thoughtful and serious” (Ziegfeld 43). Rembrandt was adept at capturing the harmonious balance between light and shadow. In this portrait likewise, his treatment of light offers an irresistible attraction for the observer. The girl’s head (partially) along with her left forearm is “bathed in a soft, glowing and almost magical light” (Ziegfeld 43). The wooden frames of the open-half door make the girl appear as immersed, attentive, detached, contemplative and inquisitive- all at once. Her sideways glance also reveals her curiosity regarding the world that lies just outside the open-half door. On a metaphorical level, this theme of curiosity, inquisitiveness, and the retainment of an individual streak despite the longing for participation in the contemporary society- all are emblematic of the Renaissance spirit that thrives within her. The open-half door and the dull glow behind her also signify the unexplored possibilities that lie ahead of her. Thus, in the painting under discussion, Rembrandt’s treatment of light and his ability to capture the fine details of a live breathing human being, urges the observer to delve into the inner most recesses of the girl’s mind. In his treatment of the subject, Rembrandt departs from the classical unilateral view of man depicted by the classicists and imparts originality to his work. Nevertheless, the afore-mentioned painting of Rembrandt bears strong resemblance to a classical Egyptian painting entitled, “El Fayum”. Identified as belonging to the second century (Ziegfeld 28), this black and white portrait of an ancient Egyptian man, captures in poignant detail, the inner complexities of human mind. The possible disappointments, bitter disillusionments and the ravages of time faced by this man are evident through the thoroughly woe-begotten and haggard look on his face. However, the fine tone and the warmth of colours added by Rembrandt; make his portrait appear more optimistic. The renowned essayist- Francis Bacon- also mirrored the Renaissance spirit in his ceaseless quest for self-advancement, his frequent incorporation of Latin references in his essays and lastly, in his ambition and desire to attain a significant position in life. However, Bacon believed that in essence, the Renaissance works- especially pertaining to the scientific field depicted no degree of newness or originality. He asserted that the Renaissance scholars often times superimposed their innovative interpretations on the classical texts. Bacon regarded this practice as unscholarly and juxtaposed it with going “round in circles forever” – a futile endeavour that resulted in “meagre, almost negligible progress” (“Francis Bacon” 10). He believed that the existing scientific advancement was merely an “elegant arrangement[s] of things previously discovered” (“Francis Bacon” 11). Moreover, as opposed to the Renaissance spirit, he believed that discovery by mere chance does not constitute real knowledge (“Francis Bacon” 11). Apart from this, in his discourse entitled, “The New Organon”, Bacon has insisted that knowledge derived from mere sensory faculties can not be categorized as authentic knowledge. He also proposed that instead of turning to the classical sources and the works of traditional scholars- such as Aristotle- one should resort to original thinking and should adopt an independent method of inquiry- one that has not been inspired by antiquity. Conclusively, majority of the Renaissance artists and literary figures, sought inspiration from the classical texts; however, instead of reproducing the knowledge from these texts, the Renaissance scholars integrated the renewed interpretations of the classical texts with their own knowledge and contributed to the development of various philosophical, scientific and literary theories. WORKS CITED: 1) Aristotle. Poetics. Trans. W. H. Fyfe. London: Penguin Books Ltd, 1994. Print. 2) “Francis Bacon”. Compton’s Encyclopedia. 74th ed. 26 vols. Chicago: Compton’s Learning Company, 1996. Print. 3) Marlowe, Christopher. Dr. Faustus. London, Penguin Books Ltd, 1991. Print. 4) “Renaissance”. Compton’s Encyclopedia. 74th ed. 26 vols. Chicago: Compton’s Learning Company, 1996. Print. 5) Ziegfeld, Edwin. “Painting”. Compton’s Encyclopedia. 74th ed. 26 vols. Compton’s Learning Company, 1996. Print. Read More