English humanism
English humanism is the name given to Renaissance humanism in England. It originated in the 15th century under French and Italian influence. Great humanist scholars of European standing did not appear in England until the late 15th and early 16th centuries.
The English humanists set themselves the same goals as their continental counterparts. First and foremost, they were concerned with the humanistic educational reform, the reorganization of the educational system, which was shaped by late medieval scholasticism , according to humanistic principles. As in other European countries, the focus was on cultivating linguistic expression and the art of argumentation, the theory and practice of rhetoric . The stylistic and content-related imitation of the "classic" ancient models was seen as the way to perfection. The connection with the Christian past was cultivated more strongly than in Italy, and humanistic education was embedded in the Christian tradition.
In the 15th century, Englishmen such as William Gray († 1478) and Robert Flemmyng († 1483), who studied in Italy and then returned to their homeland, brought humanistic ideas to England and set up libraries. In addition, Italian humanists such as Poggio Bracciolini , who traveled to England, acted as initiators.
In the first phase of English humanism, Duke Humphrey of Gloucester (1390–1447) played a central role as a promoter of the educational movement. Italian humanists (Tito Livio Frulovisi, Antonio Beccaria) stayed at his court. Humphrey put on a library that formed the basis for the university library later founded by Thomas Bodley , the Bodleian Library , in Oxford . Another important patron and book collector was John Tiptoft , Earl of Worcester († 1470).
The English school system, which was backward in comparison with the continental situation, urgently needed a renewal. It took place in the course of the 15th century through the establishment of numerous non-church educational institutions (colleges, grammar schools ) that competed with the old church schools. A strong upswing emerged towards the end of the century and continued into the early 16th century. At the same time, during this period, humanistic education, which had only made slow progress, was able to gain acceptance at the universities.
In the early 16th century, the internationally famous Dutch humanist Erasmus von Rotterdam became the most important contemporary source of inspiration for the English humanists as well. His works, suitable for educational purposes, became school reading. Among the best-known champions of humanism in England at that time were the school's founder John Colet (1467–1519), who had studied in Italy, the royal court doctor Thomas Linacre († 1524), who was also trained in Italy , who wrote a Latin grammar and who among his colleagues Knowledge of ancient medical literature spread, William Grocyn († 1519), who brought Bible humanism to England and introduced Greek as a subject at Oxford, and above all the statesman and writer Thomas More († 1535), the most famous representative of English humanism. One of More's students was Thomas Elyot , who in 1531 published The boke Named the Governour on the theoretical and moral philosophy of the state . The humanistic educational principles that Elyot outlined there contributed significantly to the formation of the gentleman ideal in the 16th century. This ideal consisted in the combination of an eloquence perfected according to the classical model with active participation in political life, with patriotism, noble disposition and piety.
In political theory , the English humanists appeared as representatives of the existing aristocratic social order. They hoped that conditions would improve if the children of the nobility were brought up carefully according to humanistic principles. Humanistic education should be one of the characteristics of a gentleman and political leader.
literature
- Fritz Caspari : Humanism and social order in England of the Tudors . Francke, Bern 1988, ISBN 3-317-01616-7
- Willi Erzgräber : Humanism and Renaissance in England in the 16th century . In: Humanism in Europe . Winter, Heidelberg 1998, ISBN 3-8253-0840-5 , pp. 159-186
- Denys Hay: England and the Humanities in the Fifteenth Century . In: Heiko A. Oberman (Ed.): Itinerarium Italicum. The Profile of the Italian Renaissance in the Mirror of Its European Transformations . Brill, Leiden 1975, ISBN 90-04-04259-8 , pp. 305-367
- Richard J. Schoeck: Humanism in England . In: Albert Rabil (Ed.): Renaissance Humanism. Foundations, Forms, and Legacy , Volume 2: Humanism beyond Italy , University of Pennsylvania Press, Philadelphia 1988, ISBN 0-8122-8064-4 , pp. 5-38
- Walter F. Schirmer : The English early humanism. A contribution to the history of English literature in the 15th century , 2nd edition, Niemeyer, Tübingen 1963