"What a Piece of Work is Man"

"What a piece of work is man."
- Shakespeare's Hamlet (Act ii, Scene 2)

As Hamlet gives this famous soliloquy he reflects on both the inspiring and negative sides of the human condition. His deep analysis of the human condition on the level of the individual would not have been discussed without the enlightenment of the secular humanists of The Renaissance, and the Christian influence in The Reformation.

Humanism played a key role in the emergence of both The Renaissance and The Reformation. Although both embraced the ideals that humanism carried, the sources through which they approached their conclusions were different. The Renaissance thinkers took a secular approach as they read from rhetoricians and philosophers of antiquity (Cicero, Plato, Socrates, Isocrates, etc.). However, the pioneers of The Reformation developed their humanistic viewpoint with a realization of the spiritual individual, and through Biblical study.

The Renaissance

With the Black Plague behind them, early thinkers of The Renaissance had the task of re-evaluating the human condition and the meaning of life. These thinkers took it upon themselves to reopen the tomb like libraries filled with manuscripts written in "proper" Latin. Among these writings were the writings of Cicero, and his philosophical interpretations of humanism. Petrarch was one of the most important mouth pieces for Cicero in The Renaissance. People like Petrarch and Quintilian were intrigued by Cicero's articulation of the Latin language and sought to learn everything they could from those writings. This lead to the rebirth of the divine human and the rediscovery of the potential within each being.

The Transition

The early printing of Bibles, lead to experimentation in translation of the Biblical texts. The concept of going back to the sources was engrained in their approach to learning; people like Calvin Beza started printing Bibles with both the Latin text and the original Greek text side by side. The experimentation didn't stop there; despite the Catholic Church's refusal to translate the holy text to "common" language, the humanists wanted to give everyone a chance to live a rich "eloquent" life.

The Reformation

The translation of the Bible into an English printed script tends to take all the credit for The Reformation. There were many individuals who had a strong influence on the movement, but the motivation behind The Reformation stemmed from the original principles written in the Bible. Once the "plowman" was able to read for himself that man was created in the image of God, it made him question what was different between him and the wealthy cardinals. A new wave of humanism stemming from the sacred script was brought to light. These transcendent principles were even more influential than Aristotle, and even more available than any other script written up to that point.

Conclusion

These events are heavy weight-bearing pillars to the great structure we call "Western Civilization".  The Renaissance reintroduced the divine individual through secular Ad Fontes, and The Reformation through spiritual piety. Those of us who enjoy the freedoms of the sovereign individual can thank the great men and women whose works built the foundations where we plant our ensigns of freedom.
"What a piece of work is man."  

Photo Credit:

1. https://sententiaeantiquae.com/2017/05/09/tullys-tuesday-cicero-talks-about-sex/
2. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Christus_(Draft)_by_Thorvaldsen.jpg 

 

 

Sprezzatura in a Suit

I used to work at a high-end custom suit tailor. The inspiration for there style was heavily influenced by European traditional style, specifically stemming from British and Italian tailoring. When I first started I noticed that the staff broke traditional style rules I had already learned. The small blade on their ties were too long, the buttons on their button down cuffs weren't always done up, or their sleeve buttons on their suits were undone.

Assuming my coworkers knew better than I did, I questioned my manager on his smaller tie blade being longer than his big tie blade. His response was gibberish to me: "sprezzatura". Exspressa-what?

After explaining the word's Italian origins, my manager proceeded to explain one of the most fascinating concepts of dressing well that went far beyond the concept of appearance. His smaller tie blade was longer than the bigger one to signal nonchalance. The company that I worked for had a philosophy that the purpose of dressing well was not to appear superior. To them, a man dresses well to prove himself as a well-rounded individual who doesn't require an obsessive amount of effort to have a respectable appearance. Subtle signs of missed details or broken rules express a sense of effortlessness and prove that a man who dresses with sprezzatura knows more about life than how to dress well.

After the discussion with my manager, I studied different European style bloggers to better understand the meaning of the word. I realized sprezzatura is not just a way to dress but a way of life. Beginning with the Renaissance and the rediscovery of the divine individual, people found a new love for learning complicated concepts and discussing them eloquently and effortlessly. People who sought to live with sprezzatura were what we would call a "jack of all trades." Someone who embodies sprezzatura is continually learning and sharing their skills humbly and casually with those they come in contact with.

How can you live with sprezzatura? Start with the way you dress. Research the rules. For both males and females, there are rules associated with the composition of an outfit that are worth knowing. Once you know the rules, break them. Do it casually and with subtleness. After that, find another subject that intrigues you and casually study it. It only takes a touch of sprezzatura before you realize what you are capable of.
   

History Repeats Itself

History repeats itself. What a spooky phrase. When I hear that phrase I picture an old crotchety man who has enough wrinkles to rival my clean laundry pile that's taken up a permanent residence in the corner of my room. His skin is leathery and his hair is sparse and white. It all feels a bit cinematic. But I think there is an element of truth to it. History, in some aspects, tends to repeat itself. For example, let's take fashion. 80s high waisted mom jeans, 90s chokers, ripped jeans, tie dye, bell bottom pants, crop tops, overalls, platform shoes and etc. Have been in style and then out of style and then back in again. It seems like a cycle, or as Pocahontas says, "a circle, in a hoop that never ends." And honestly, I'm totally into those hoops.

When I hear the word renaissance, i think of the word "rebirth" I think of artists getting more artsy and philosophers getting more philosophical. But there was so much more to the renaissance than that. I think my favorite part of the renisannace, and the part that sounded the most familiar to me was the focus on humanism. People began to focus on the individual and started to value one in it's fullness. The perspective changed from viewing people to be like cogs in some machine, to the perspective that each person has great meaning and each life is valuable. The renaissance also started a trend of transitioning away from organized religion and into more secular topics. Poetry, history, rhetoric and other topics became of great importance and religion slipped from priority, to somewhere behind. If you aren't seeing the connection yet I'll bring it into focus. History at times repeats itself. Today there is a big focus on humanism, all you have to do is scroll through pinterest to see it. I also think people are leaning further and further away from religion. I believe we are on the cusp of another renaissance of sorts...what do you think?