Humanism In The Love Themes Of Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream

Abstract

When Shakespeare was born in 1564, the Renaissance had had Its effect on the European continent, beginning gradually during the Middle Ages, gaining momentum in the 1400's and spreading to England in a slightly altered form beginning around 1500.1 Before the spirit of the Renaissance came to England, the pervading attitude of the Renaissance in Europe was one of exploration into all fields of human possibilities for political and social achievement! as a result, there was some religious rebellion, but the stable thread of Christian humanism never completely disappeared. According to Douglas Bush in his book The Renaissance and English Humanism, much was made of the most radical changes of the time because these changes made news: but the connection between Christian ideals and the cultivation of reason with education persisted from before the Middle Ages on through the Renaissance In varying stages.2 The difference marking these two eras at their high points was in the stress on man’s growing awareness of all his possibilities, and his ability to depend more on himself rather than on others in regard to research, discoveries, and knowledge.