Early Tudor Period

TThe Term

The Term

• Term "humanist" coined in 16th century.
• Studied humanities: grammar, rhetoric, history, poetry, moral philosophy.
• Focused on human ethics and imagination.
• Emphasized mastery of Latin and classical culture.
• Contributed to European Renaissance through ancient texts.
• Writings covered education, ethics, politics, drawing from Aristotle, Plato, Cicero.
• Humanism continued with shared values and ideas.

Humanism and Renaissance

Renaissance

• Renaissance Humanism originated in Italy.
• Italian scholars discovered Ancient Greek thought.
• Petrarch, the father of humanism, made significant contributions.
• Humanistic studies widely embraced for education.
• Renaissance humanism shifted to northern Europe.
• Erasmus became a leading humanist scholar.
• Emphasis on classical literature for intellectual discipline.
• Humanism celebrated human dignity and intellect.
• "Humanists" seek truth through experience and reason.
• Renaissance's influence on natural sciences and technology.

Humanism in the Age of Enlightenment

Age of Enlightenment

• Age of Enlightenment: Detachment from religion and classical literature.
• Science, reason, and intellectualism replaced God.
• Humanistic values: tolerance, opposition to slavery.
• Breakthroughs in technology boosted confidence in humanity.
• New philosophical, social, and political ideas emerged.
• Theism rejected, leading to atheism and deism.
• Hostility towards organized religion.
• Abstract conception of humanity emerged.
• Focus shifted to the individual "Man".
• Rousseau's Social Contract and Paine's The Rights of Man reflected universal conception

Humanism in Victorian Era

Victorian Era

• Matthew Arnold advocated humanism in the Victorian Era.
• He emphasized the importance of humane studies in education.
• Arnold's ideas were rooted in classical humanism.
• Culture represented the pinnacle of human nature.
• It distinguished humanity from animality and reflected its value.
• Wilhelm Dilthey distinguished between natural and human sciences.
• Human sciences aim to understand human experience, represented in literature.

New Humanism

• New Humanism movement: 1910-1930 in the US.
• Influenced by Matthew Arnold's ideas.
• Aimed to recapture moral essence of past civilizations.
• Reacted against deterministic views of human nature.
• Emphasized uniqueness of human beings.
• Stressed moral essence of human experience.
• Advocated essential freedom of human will.
• Notable figures: Paul Elmer More, Irving Babbitt, Norman Foerster, Robert Shafer.
• Criticized as cultural elitists and conservatives.
• Influence declined by the 1930s.

Humanism From Darwin to the Current Era

• "Religion of humanity" by Auguste Comte.
• Emphasized secular, humanistic beliefs.
• Influenced writers: Wilde, Eliot, Zola, Holyoake, Beesly.
• Drew upon biblical criticism of Strauss and Feuerbach.
• Darwin's theory challenged traditional religious beliefs.
• Nietzsche critiqued religion, advocated value revaluation.
• Feuerbach viewed religious beliefs as human projections.
• Marx saw religion as a product of societal conditions.
• Wellhausen and Strauss questioned Bible's accuracy.
• Bentham and Mill developed utilitarianism for human welfare.

Darwin to Current Era

Humanism in Structuralism

and Poststructuralism

Structuralism and Post Structuralism

• Structuralism and poststructuralism challenge humanism.
• They decenter the human subject's role.
• Foucault critiqued fixed human identity.
• Deconstructionists see humans as linguistic products.
• Marxists and new-historicists view the variable human subject.
• Literary works reflect prevailing discursive formations.
• Identity politics reject universal human subject.
• They focus on individual representatives of groups.
• Identity theorists emphasize diverse experiences.
• Theories explore language, history, culture in literary analysis.

Henry VII

• Henry VII, the founder of the Tudor dynasty, rose to power through force and the defeat of Richard III in the Wars of the Roses.
• As a Lancastrian claimant to the throne, Henry fled England as a young boy, seeking safety in Burgundy during the turbulent times of the Wars of the Roses.
• Despite his exile, support for the Lancastrian cause persisted, and Henry returned to the British Isles in 1485 to gather more backing for his claim to the throne.
• Henry's march towards London from Wales garnered significant support from followers along the way, solidifying his path to the English throne.
• Henry VII's successful rise to power laid the foundation for the prosperous rule of the Tudor dynasty, which included his son Henry VIII and daughter Elizabeth I.

Henry VIII

• Henry VIII, a prominent king in English history, ascended the throne in 1509 after the death of his father, Henry VII.
• He is known for his eventful love life, having six wives, including Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, and Jane Seymour.
• Henry VIII played a pivotal role in establishing the Church of England after breaking with the Roman Catholic Church to divorce Catherine of Aragon and marry Anne Boleyn.
• He focused on strengthening England's maritime capabilities, significantly expanding the Royal Navy and promoting shipbuilding.
• Henry VIII's flagship, the Mary Rose, was launched in 1511 and became a significant contribution to naval history.

Anne Boleyn

• Anne Boleyn was the second wife of King Henry VIII of England and the mother of Queen Elizabeth I.
• Her marriage to Henry and the events surrounding the annulment of his first marriage to Catherine of Aragon led to the English Reformation and Henry's break with the Roman Catholic Church.
• Anne's father was Sir Thomas Boleyn, later earl of Wiltshire and Ormonde.
• She spent part of her childhood in France before returning to England in 1522, where she became a prominent figure at Henry's court and drew many admirers.
• Her intended marriage to Lord Henry Percy was stopped on Henry's orders by Cardinal Wolsey, and eventually, Henry himself fell in love with her.

Anne Boleyn

Thomas Cromwell

Thomas

Cromwell

• Cromwell's rise from the son of a blacksmith to Henry VIII's chief minister was remarkable.
• He possessed exceptional talent and worked tirelessly, exerting significant influence over England's politics and religion for approximately a decade.
• Cromwell dealt ruthlessly with his opponents, including Thomas More and Anne Boleyn, the king's second wife.
• His downfall resulted from arranging Henry's ill-fated marriage to Anne of Cleves.
• Cromwell was imprisoned at the Tower of London and ultimately executed in 1540.

Mary I

Mary I of England

• Mary I of England reigned from 1553 to 1558 CE, known for her efforts to restore Catholicism in England, earning her the nickname "Bloody Mary."
• As the daughter of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon, Mary faced challenges from male courtiers and a usurper, Lady Jane Grey, before her reign began.
• Mary successfully quelled the Wyatt rebellion in 1554 CE but faced opposition to her marriage with Philip of Spain.
• Despite controversy, Mary became the first queen to rule England in her own right.
• Mary's historical significance as the first ruling queen is noteworthy, although Elizabeth I is more prominently remembered.