Module 10 Important Renaissance Literature Flashcards
(29 cards)
Who is often called the ‘Father of the Renaissance’?
Francesco Petrarch
Petrarch is known for reviving interest in classical literature and developing the Italian sonnet.
What did Francesco Petrarch study after leaving law school?
Ancient manuscripts of classical literature
He focused on works from ancient Greece and Rome.
What literary form did Petrarch develop?
The Italian sonnet
His sonnets often included themes of self-reflection and moral dilemmas.
What is the title of Dante’s most famous work?
Divine Comedy
This epic poem describes the afterlife and is divided into three parts: Inferno, Purgatory, and Paradise.
Who guides Dante through Hell and Purgatory in the Divine Comedy?
Virgil
In Paradise, Dante is guided by Beatrice.
What is the central theme of Dante’s Divine Comedy?
The afterlife and human morality
It has significantly impacted theology and religious thought.
What is the main topic of Baldassare Castiglione’s book The Courtier?
Etiquette and proper social behavior
The book illustrates how nobles should behave in social gatherings.
What does Castiglione argue is the cornerstone of good manners?
Education
He emphasizes the importance of knowledge in speaking and writing well.
What political work did Niccolo Machiavelli write?
The Prince
This book discusses power dynamics and how rulers can gain and maintain authority.
What does Machiavelli suggest about morality in politics?
Rulers should abandon moral principles if they limit authority
He believed that the ends justify the means in political leadership.
According to Machiavelli, is it better for a ruler to be feared or loved?
Feared
He argues that fear is a more reliable means of maintaining control over subjects than love.
What is Miguel de Cervantes best known for?
Don Quixote
This work is a satire of chivalry and critiques medieval ideals.
What major event did Cervantes participate in during his naval career?
The naval battle of Lepanto
This battle was crucial in preventing the expansion of the Ottoman Empire into Europe.
What happened to Cervantes after he was captured by pirates?
He was held captive for five years until his family paid a ransom
His experiences influenced his writing and themes in Don Quixote.
Fill in the blank: Dante’s Divine Comedy is divided into three parts: Inferno, Purgatory, and _______.
Paradise
True or False: Machiavelli believed that a ruler should always keep their word.
False
He argued that a ruler should not honor their word if it places them at a disadvantage.
Who was released from captivity after five years due to a ransom paid by his family?
Miguel de Cervantes
Cervantes was held captive multiple times before being released.
What is the title of Cervantes’s most well-known literary work?
Don Quixote
Published in 1605, it is a significant work in Western literature.
What genre does Don Quixote primarily satirize?
Chivalry
The book mocks medieval ideas and the romantic notions of knighthood.
What convinces Don Quixote that he is a medieval knight?
Medieval literature about heroic knights and fanciful adventures
These stories lead him to embark on chivalrous quests.
What does Don Quixote mistakenly believe about inns and windmills?
Inns are castles and windmills are giants
His delusions are a key aspect of the narrative.
What realization does Don Quixote come to after his adventures?
Chivalry is a farce and people pursue selfish desires
This realization leads to his disillusionment.
What does Don Quixote brandish in the encounter with the farmer?
A lance
He believes he must defend the honor of the youth being chastised.
What is the main theme of Machiavelli’s The Prince?
How a ruler can seize and hold onto power
This work is a foundational text in political theory.
