This assigned reading was especially interesting, because the historical significance of this time period was extremely profound, in that it helped contribute and shape the ways in which society viewed educational aspects, including the arts, sciences, mathematics, and developing new theories on various things. This was an extraordinarily pivotal time in history, because the Renaissance helped shape the whole idea on the pursuit of human powers as well as defining true knowledge. While new ideas were forming, there was a huge stray from the Roman Catholic Church, and its teachings and beliefs were truly being questioned, as new ideas and practices were beginning to evolve during the time period of the Renaissance.
Also during this time period, The Rhetorical Tradition focused on how the educational attention was still diverting back to the classical teachings of ancient Greek and Roman society, and how these classical ideas were being used to develop and establish new theory and ways of life and thinking. This time period was categorized so heavily by the movement of humanism, which sparked a huge intellectual movement throughout this time period as well as region in France and elsewhere in Europe. There was far more emphasis on religious tolerance and more women were pursuing education, as well.
This segment of the textbook was extremely helpful, not only examining the historical time period, but also how there was a huge focus on style in the evolution of rhetoric. While rhetoric was still being used for a variety of reasons, it was, during this time period, less focused on the political aspect, and more seen as an artistic and creative tool.
I believe that this segment of the text will be responsible for the turning point of rhetoric, and how it has evolved into the field that it is today, because there was so much tolerance and much more freedom and flexibility during this time period, straying from the church.
This class period was helpful, because the history lesson gave me great insight into how rhetoric was changing throughout time. Because the Renaissance stressed different importance on various aspects of society, such as straying from the Roman Catholic Church and focusing more solely on the individual self in the pursuit of intellectual growth. I thought that a lot of good points were brought up in the classroom discussion today, especially the points made about how the time in general was changing, and how these changes could be applied to rhetoric as a whole.
ReplyDeleteI think that you're correct in highlighting the value of intellectual stimulation during the Renaissance and the progress it fostered. It epitomized a period in which thoughts flourished, proceeding one where mental stagnation was arguably in abundance, as is demonstrated I believe in the rise in popularity of Scholasticism. Also, you made a good point in discussing the Renaissance as a key point in the history of rhetoric. The "freedom and flexibility" were, I think, contingent to the development of Humanism in Italy and was further demonstrated to the increased number of women rhetoricians.
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