Directions: For this discussion, you will be using the following PDF to complete these assigned “stations".
Each station has the name of the corresponding reading in the PDF file. You will use the reading to answer the questions in each station. Make sure that you answer each station fully.
Station 3 - Humanism
Humanism: A Renaissance intellectual movement in which thinkers studied classical text and focused on
human potential and achievement.
Petrarch: The first Humanist. Great poet, who wrote in both Italian & Latin. In his Italian sonnets he wrote
of a mysterious woman named Laura, who was his ideal woman.
Dante: This great Italian poet is Florence’s most respected writer. His most famous work is The Divine
Comedy. He wrote The Divine Comedy in his vernacular {a Tuscan dialect . . .Italian) instead of in the usual
Latin language.
The Divine Comedy: A long poem in which Dante describes his imaginary journey through the afterlife. It
has three books, each of which is about one of the divisions of the afterlife: Inferno (Hell), Pergatorio
(Purgatory), and Paradiso (Heaven). Dante’s poem describes what he sees in each place. Read below for a
summary of the poem.
Inferno: In the first part, Virgil, a poet of ancient Rome, acts as Dante’s guide through Hell. In Hell, Dante
sees many lonely souls, among them a number of important people of Florence, and he gives a vivid
description of their sins and the torturous punishments for them.
“It carried by the hair its severed head,
Which swayed within its hand just like a lantern,
And that head looked at us and said: ‘Ah, me!’”
Purgatorio: In the second part, Virgil leads Dante through Purgatory. In Purgatory --- where people pay for
their sins to try to get to Heaven --- sorrow is not so deep, for there is hope of being saved.
Paradiso: In the third part, Beatrice, a woman whom Dante loved deeply but who died at an early age, acts
as his guide. Beatrice leads him through Heaven, where all sins are forgotten and everyone lives in peace with God.
Station 3- Christian Humanist
Christian Humanists The best known of the Christian humanists were Desiderius
Erasmus (DEHZ*ih*DEER*ee*uhs iheRAZ*muhs) of Holland and Thomas More of
England. The two were close friends.
In 1509, Erasmus wrote his most famous work, The Praise of Folly. This book
poked fun at greedy merchants, heartsick lovers, quarrelsome scholars, and
pompous priests. Erasmus believed in a Christianity of the heart, not one of cere¬
monies or rules. He thought that in order to improve society, all people should
study the Bible.
Thomas More tried to show a better model of society. In 1516, he wrote the
book Utopia. In Greek, utopia means “no place.” In English it has come to mean
an ideal place as depicted in More’s book. The book is about an imaginary land
where greed, corruption, and war have been weeded out. In Utopia, because there
was little greed, Utopians had little use for money:
v Christian
humanist
Thomas More
PRIMARY SOURCE
Gold and silver, of which money is made, are so treated . . ,that no one
values them more highly than their true nature deserves. Who does not see
that they are far inferior to Iron In usefulness since without iron mortals
cannot live any more than without fire and water?
THOMAS MORE. Utopia
Mure wrote in Latin. As his work became popular, More’s works were translated into a variety of languages including French, German, English, Spanish, and Italian.
Station 3 – Humanism
Answer the following questions using the STATION 3 - HUMANISM PDF
1. Define Humanism:
2. Petrarch was the first what?
3. What was Petrach’s vernacular?
4. Where was Dante from?
5. What is his most famous work?
What is the Divine Comedy:
CHRISTIAN HUMANIST QUESTIONS:
Who were the two best known Christian Humanist?
1)
2)
2. In 1509, what did Erasmus write?
3. Who did his book poke fun at?
4. Why did he think all people should study the Bible?
5. In 1516, what did Thomas More write?
6. What does the word “utopia” mean in Greek?
7. What does it mean in English?
8. What language did he write in?
1 answer
Station 3 – Humanism
Define Humanism:
Humanism is a Renaissance intellectual movement that emphasized the study of classical texts and focused on human potential and achievement.
Petrarch was the first what?
Petrarch was the first Humanist.
What was Petrarch’s vernacular?
Petrarch wrote in both Italian and Latin, but his vernacular specifically refers to Italian.
Where was Dante from?
Dante was from Florence, Italy.
What is his most famous work?
Dante's most famous work is "The Divine Comedy."
What is the Divine Comedy:
"The Divine Comedy" is a long poem in which Dante describes his imaginary journey through the afterlife, consisting of three parts: Inferno (Hell), Purgatorio (Purgatory), and Paradiso (Heaven). Each part describes Dante's experiences and observations in these realms.
CHRISTIAN HUMANIST QUESTIONS:
Who were the two best known Christian Humanists?
Desiderius Erasmus
Thomas More
In 1509, what did Erasmus write?
Erasmus wrote "The Praise of Folly."
Who did his book poke fun at?
His book poked fun at greedy merchants, heartsick lovers, quarrelsome scholars, and pompous priests.
Why did he think all people should study the Bible?
Erasmus believed that to improve society, all people should have a deep, personal understanding of Christianity, which he thought could be achieved through studying the Bible rather than through ceremonies or rules.
In 1516, what did Thomas More write?
In 1516, Thomas More wrote "Utopia."
What does the word “utopia” mean in Greek?
In Greek, "utopia" means "no place."
What does it mean in English?
In English, "utopia" has come to mean an ideal place.
What language did he write in?
Thomas More wrote in Latin.
