1. The Northern Renaissance
Chapter 17
Section 2

2. VOCAB
Utopia
William Shakespeare
Johann Gutenberg

3. The Northern Renaissance Begins
Setting the Stage:
1450 Northern Europe’s population on the rise after the bubonic plague
In Italy wealthy merchants patron artists; in England and France powerful monarchs did the same
Leonardo Di Vinci was invited to retire in France to help spread the Renaissance movement
Northern Renaissance artists focused on realism and would use the spirit of the Renaissance to reform society
Based on Judeo-Christian values

4. Northern Renaissance Artists Use Realism:
Flemish Painters:
Artistic capital of N.R.
Artists like Jan van Eyck and Pieter Bruegel use oil paints to depict “peasant life”
Use of realism gives art of the Renaissance new direction

5. Northern Writers Try to Reform Society
Italian humanists focused on reviving the classical languages
People used this to re-examine the teachings of the Church
People became critical of the church for not inspiring people to live a Christian life.
Christian Humanists:
Goal to reform society
Promoted education of women and founded schools attended by both boys and girls

6. Christian Humanists Desiderius Erasmus Thomas More
1509- The Praise of Folly -poked fun at wealthy merchants and greedy priests -Believed in Christianity of the Heart; no ceremonies -To improve society people must study the Bible
Utopia
In Greek “no place”
Land where greed, corruption, and war no longer exist
People in Utopia had little need for money
(read excerpt)
“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 and more without fire and water?
– Thomas More “Utopia”

7. The Elizabethan Age Renaissance spreads to England in the 1500s
Queen Elizabeth I
( )
Well Educated; spoke French, Italian, Latin, and Greek
Wrote poetry and music
Greatly supported the development of English art and literature….

8. William Shakespeare Most famous writer of the Elizabethan Age
Greatest playwright of all time
Shakespeare’s plays demonstrate a mastery of the English language and of human nature
Most of his plays focus on human flaw
Famous works:
Tragedies: Macbeth, Hamlet, Othello, Romeo and Juliet
Comedies: A midsummer Nights Dream, The Taming of the Shrew

9. Shakespeare’s Popularity

10. Printing Spreads Renaissance Ideals
Gutenberg Improves the Printing Process:
13th Century printing blocks reach Europe from China but too slow to create books
1440 Gutenberg (craftsmen from Germany)
Invents movable printing press
Produce large amounts of pages quickly.

11. Renaissance Legacy