The Renaissance: An Analysis of Concept

The term 'Renaissance' is often taken for granted. In French, it means 'rebirth.' In history classes, a cursory definition is given, being simply stated as: the revival of classical influences in art and literature and the beginnings of modern science in Europe from the 14^th- 17^th century. No thought is given to why the word applies beyond a literal definition.

It is important in a discussion of the Renaissance to understand what is meant by a 'rebirth.' Unlike other periods of history before it, the Renaissance has no particular events that distinguish it from the preceding era, in this case the Middle Ages. Surely Columbus sailed the ocean blue, cities fell and rose, and the Reformation rent the Catholic world; but all of these things happened after the Renaissance began.

'rebirth' implies a change in thought, a new perspective. Thus a better way of looking at the Renaissance involves reflecting on the change in social consciousness that it entailed. Essentially, the Renaissance began "when people realized they were no longer living in the Middle Ages" (Janson, 403).

This concept that Janson speaks of sounds overly simplistic, but that makes it no less true. As he observes, concepts of temporality changed. In the Middle Ages "history was made in heaven rather than Earth" (403). People began to become conscious that they were part of a new era and to judge time not "according to the divine plan of salvation, but on the basis of human achievements" (403).

This way of thinking accentuated the achievements of artists, poets, and classical scholars. Artists were now seen as 'creating,' which was an enormous change, since "before 1500 creating, as distinct from making, was the privilege of God alone" (Janson, 452). Fundamentally this change in temporal and intellectual consciousness became the root of 'rebirth.'