Are You a Renaissance Man?

The popular film, American Gangster, starred Denzel Washington as Frank Lucas, criminal drug lord in the 70s, who used the caskets of fallen soldiers being returned home from Vietnam to smuggle illegal drugs into the United States.

There was a scene in the movie where Lucas is being approached with a partnering-in-crime business proposal by another crime lord who made mention of the fact that he considered himself "a Renaissance man" and asked Lucas the question: "Are you a Renaissance man?" Not to be judged as anything less than an equal, Lucas countered: "I'm a Renaissance man too!"

Having heard the phrase "Renaissance man" used as a compliment when speaking of the famous playwright William Shakespeare, somehow I just could not make the connection between Lucas and Shakespeare.

I did some additional research thinking perhaps my understanding about the Renaissance was in error.  Per The New Lexicon Webster's Encyclopedic Dictionary of the English Language:

• "The Renaissance created a culture which though based in large part on the imitation of the ancients, freed men to prove and enjoy the world in a way not possible under the medieval Church's dispensation. In this release lay the way of development of the modern world."

Aw forget about it!  I'll damage my brain trying to connect the dots between Shakespeare and Super Fly.  There is no Renaissance connection!!  However, there were four other notable persons during that time period who were also referred to as Renaissance men: Francesco Petrarch, Giovanni Boccaccio, Francois Rabelais, and Desiderius Erasmus. It was much easier to connect the dots between those men and Shakespeare because they were also prolific writers who made a place for themselves in Renaissance literature.

[OFF THE RECORD and OFF TOPIC:  American Gangster was one of Mr. Washington's better performances.  Ditto for The Manchurian Candidate.  Better.  Not best.  His best performance was Malcolm X, but he got the Oscars for Training Day and Glory.  Whatever!]

Translated and collected classical work manuscripts, wrote extensive letters and essays on religious, philosophical, and political topics. He wrote an epic poem titled "Africa", about the 2nd Punic War.

He has been called both, the Father of the Italian Renaissance and the Father of Humanism (a belief in the greatness of man). Some even say he was "the first Renaissance man".

But what do you think?
Was Petrarch a Renaissance man?

* * *
“A short cut to riches is to subtract from our desires.” – Francesco Petrarch

(Disagree totally!  Only short cut to riches is being born rich!  Ask any rich kid!)

Authored romances, epic poems and idylls, and together with his friend Petrarch they laid the groundwork for the philosophy or belief known as humanism.

Best remembered for his story collection called Decameron; a masterpiece of classical Italian prose; 10 tales of 10 people told over a period of 10 days. So significant is this work that the Italian Studies Department, Brown University, Providence, RI, spearheads a project, called Decameron Web, dedicated to the study and teaching of the work. Pier Paolo Pasolini, noted for his adaptations of classic literary texts, directed the film adaptation of The Decameron released in 1971. Also wrote the first collection of biographies devoted entirely to women.

So! Renaissance man or just BFFs with Petrarch?

***

"While farmers generally allow one rooster for ten hens, ten men are scarcely sufficient to service one woman."   - Giovanni Boccaccio

(Unless the woman is me.  One man is plenty!)

• "Decameron" by Giovanni Boccaccio, an early Italian Renaissance writer - Ten young, early Renaissance Florentines quarantine themselves against the Bubonic plague in a villa outside the walls of Florence, and pass the time entertaining themselves with stories.

Italy’s Taviani Brothers, Paolo and Vittorio, Set To Shoot ‘Decameron’ Adaptation

- The first collection of biographies in Western literature devoted exclusively to women, Boccaccio's Famous Women affords a fascinating glimpse of a moment in history when medieval attitudes toward women were beginning to give way to more modern views of their potential.

Best known for his satire, Gargantua and Pantagruel - a satire some believed was aimed at the feudal and the ecclesiastical powers of the day; which is, on the surface, the adventures of two rude but comical giants, father and son.  There are divided opinions about his works. Some say he wrote from a Christian perspective flavored with humanism while others declare him to be a radical atheist and anti-Christian.

There are also differing accounts about his final words. Many believe his last words was a one-sentence will wherein he stated: "I have nothing, I owe a great deal, and the rest I leave to the poor".

His writings have been described as "grotesque humor". However one describes his wittiness and jesting, it was undeniably his own special brand of humor.

What say you?
Renaissance man or some guy who liked to 'push the envelope'?

* * *
“Tell the truth and shame the devil.” -  Francois Rabelais

(I never knew he said that!)

Dutch scholar known as Erasmus of Rotterdam; wrote satires that pointed towards the abuses of the Catholic church.  Credited with publishing the first Greek edition of the New Testament, and an accompanying Latin version.

Believing that he espoused a rational and a practical study and application of Christianity, he sought to expound on these principles and precepts in his various works. However, the followers of Martin Luther assailed him for not standing with them in their attempts at exposing doctrinal errors and initiating religious reform; while those loyal to the Catholic church accused him of adding new troubles to the problems they were already experiencing. He found himself continually wrapped up in heated controversies over these matters until his dying day.

Do you have an opinion?

Renaissance man or ... average garden-variety struggling church reformer who managed not to get himself ex-communicated or executed?

***

“In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king (In regione caecorum rex est luscus).”
― Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus

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October – November (Weekends)