I wish I could think of a clever title...

While studying for the midterm, and trying to think of big, broad themes that link all of our authors together, I made a rather startling discovery.

Of the five great Renaissance figures we have read this semester, all of them have highlighted the "downfalls" of man. I find it interesting, in this time of great optimism and celebration of man's achievements, that some of the most famous thinkers of the Renaissance are condemning the pleasures that man seeks so diligently.

Dante's Inferno obviously goes into great detail about the trespasses of mankind, and their corrupt nature that refuses to recognize God as the only way to find salvation. This is a very medieval idea, which is part of the reason he is technically considered a medieval text. It is interesting that he was very Renaissance in his style (individual, unique terza rima; vernacular) but not in his content.

Petrarch's My Secret is all about fighting the desires of the flesh, his internal struggle to overcome the "pure" love he has for Laura.

In The Decameron Boccaccio recognizes humans' inability to fight their carnal desires (4th day intro, goslings...). He is the only one out of the five to celebrate it instead of condemning it - if you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

Sir John Mandeville admits in Mandeville's Travels that "it is no wonder that [the Saracens] call us sinful and wicked, for it is true." Despite constantly talking up the Christians as the best and most sophisticated people, Mandeville obviously sees that they could use some work.

Finally, Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales is full of satire and social commentaries on the corruptness of mankind. His opinion of marriage and fidelity are especially harsh.

Maybe this is only because we're halfway through the semester, and we haven't quite transitioned completely into the Renaissance way of thinking, but I was surprised that only one of the five authors we have read thus far openly celebrate humans' carnal needs.

Take a look at this link - it's combining the temporal aspect of the Renaissance with the very money-driven and earthly society of today.

RenaissanceFaire