Did The Renaissance Witness The Rise Of

The Concept Of The Individual. Essay, Research Paper

Jacob

Burckhardt.s Civilisation of the Renaissance in Italy.s second section is

devoted to the .development of the individual. and claims to have found a great

change in human perception during the Renaissance: .In the Middle Ages

both sides of the human consciousness.lay dreaming or half-awake beneath a

common veil.. The veil was woven of

faith, illusion and childish prepossession, through which the world and history

were seen clad in strange hues.. Man was

conscious of himself only as a member of a race, people, party, family or

corporation . only through some general category.. In Italy this veil first melted into air; an objective treatment

and consideration of the State and all the things of this world became

possible.. The subjective side at the

same time asserted itself with corresponding emphasis.Burckhardt saw individualism as the period.s

greatest problem and as its greatest asset..

Claiming that this .fundamental vice. found its feet in the Italian

nation . a people Burckhardt saw as .emerged form the half-conscious life of

the race and become themselves individuals. and .firstborn amongst the sons of

Europe. in virtue of their moral autonomy, cultivation of privacy and the individuality

of culture.. The Italians.first cast off the authority of a State which, as a

fact, is in most cases tyrannical and illegitmate, and what he thinks and does

is now, rightly or wrongly, called treason..

The sight of victorious egotism in others drives him to defend his own

rights by his own arm.. In face of all

objective facts, of laws and restraints of any kind, he retains the feeling of

his own sovereignty, and in each case forms his decision independently,

according as honour or interest, passion or calculation, revenge or

renunciation, gain the upper hand in his mind..Burckhardt

thought this massive change was the result of increased personal wealth for

much of society, the development of culture, a change in the role of the Church

but first and foremost, the Italian city-states.. The mass insecurities of the past caused by party strife was

replaced by personal insecurity (another form of individualism) as men were

forced to cultivate their personal worth and outlook.. In this mould, Burckhardt saw the rise of the .universal man.: a

concept that meant not only universal knowledge of art, science and politics,

but also the ability to express oneself as an individual.. The personal development of individual

talent was a distinction in its absolute assertion of personality on the

world.. Burckhardt saw the new idea of

pride in oneself leading to new patriotism in one.s townsmen.. Local artists, leaders and authors all received

commemoration through statues, monuments and biographical writings.. However, as pride spurred these things on,

jealousy spurred on the short story, invective and cynical wit as well as

parody.. The universal men that

Burckhardt notes as being notably lauded by contemporaries include Leon

Battista Alberti, (an athlete, scribe, musician, painter, architect and

philosopher) and Leonardo da Vinci (a musician, lover of nature, scientist,

engineer, painter, inventor). Burckhardt.s

argument that the .different tendencies and manifestations of private life.

thriving in the fullest vigour and variety. were developed in this period and

that the private man was .indifferent to politics, and busied partly with

serious disputes, partly with the interests of a dilettante. emerged in this

period.. He saw Italy as beginning to

.swarm with individuality. at the close of the thirteenth century and a

.thousand figures meet us each in his own special shape and dress. once the

.ban on human personality. was dissolved..

Dante was .the most national herald of his time. because of the .wealth

of individuality that he set forth...

The breakdown of barriers of race, nationality and family occurred as

people stopped classifying themselves according to those criteria. Dante, the

first son of Florence said .my country is the whole world. and Ghiberti said that

the learned man .is nowhere a stranger.. Burckhardt

proves his thesis by claiming that the number of .universal men. rose in the

fifteenth century, and although he was unsure whether they consciously

developed their .spiritual and material existence,. several managed to attain

as perfect a being as was possible, given the innate failings of humanity. Burckhardt has

been throroughly analysed and attacked since his publication, mostly because

Burckhardt relied on brilliant prose, argument construction and sweeping

generalisations more than demonstration by examples.. His arguments won him praise that soon turned to bitter

criticism. .The idea that man had been unaware of himself

is ridiculous.. Even medieval man used

the First Pers

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