Week 3 Questionnaire
Britney Galarza, Daniel Moffett, Angela Holbert, David Schownir
ENG/106
Nov. 24, 2014
Jason Faulkner

Week 3 Questionnaire 1. -------------------------------------------------
Machiavelli provides highly pragmatic advice to leaders in The Prince. How does this advice typify the period's overall worldview? Provide examples to support your response. How has this work influenced worldviews today?

The Prince outlines several diplomatic and political strategies that underline a need to fulfill the single patriotic goal of uniting one’s country. Some of Machiavelli’s advice, however, suggests that the end justifies the means. Chapter 18, How a Prince Should Keep His Word, nearly states the opposite of what its title implies. Machiavelli goes on to tell how manipulation, breaking promises, and lying are acceptable political actions because “since men are a contemptible lot, and would not keep their promises to you, you too need not keep yours to them.” This idea of betrayal for the greater good, however effective, has been vilified and shunned in modern politics. Breaking treaties, manipulation, and leading through force are the trademarks of a dictator and should be avoided if one wants to compete in the modern political scene.

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John Milton's Paradise Lost is a Protestant epic. Dante's Divine Comedy was a Catholic epic. How do you think the faiths and periods of the two poets shape the differences between their works? Provide examples from these works to support your response.

John Milton was well-known for his Protestant views on politics and religion. In Milton’s epic poem “Paradise Lost”, he took a stand on his positions on religion. Milton despised the corruption he saw in the Catholic Church, attacking it both in his poetry and in prose. I think because of Milton’s highly individual view of Christianity makes “Paradise Lost” both personal and universal. The period of time that John Milton wrote his epic poem “Paradise Lost” was what helped shape his work because he wrote at a time of religious flux and political upheaval. Also his poetry and prose reflected his deep personal convictions. Dante’s period of time differs because at the time he began to write, his home town Florence was divided politically. Dante took a serious subject, the death of a human and the travels of one’s soul, and turned it into a comedy. Approaching a sad, often scary situation while discussing divine beliefs and attracted the attention of the reader.

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Milton invented many words in the process of writing his epic. How does this new vocabulary indicate a new perspective on the world? Provide examples of invented words to support your response. How have the meanings of these words changed in today's society?

In Paradise, we find a number of words that John Milton used for the very first time. While their meanings are applied differently in our current culture, many of these words helped shape Milton’s writings, and left a lasting impact on the English language. On page 1787, we see Milton’s use of “Mother of Science” in reference to his knowledge and the governing power of the universe, the “Queen” (pg. 1787). While the words are not entirely created by Milton, his use of this vernacular hints at his belief of a higher power governing his actions and thoughts. This was not uncommon for this time period, as it is still a strong belief in today’s cultures. I also found Milton’s use of the word “participating” on page 1788 interesting. Our understanding of this word leads us to envision an individual working together with others towards common goal. In Milton’s context, we find that he means for “participating” to represent sharing. This is intriguing, because it leads us to believe that more emphasis was placed on giving to the fellow man, and not simply working together to further one individual’s goals or ideals.

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Renaissance means "rebirth" and refers to the reawakening of classical knowledge. What elements of Greek or Roman culture do these Renaissance works revive, and how do their authors change those elements? Provide examples from Renaissance works to support your response.

The works of the Renaissance revived moral and religious aspects of the Greek and Roman culture. The world before the Renaissance was considered barbaric, full of war, very secular and the lines of morality were blurred. There was little creativity in the arts and there was little encouragement of one’s expression of emotions. The reawakening of creativity and emotional transparency the writers of the Renaissance displayed spread quickly and change erupted. Petrarch and Boccaccio copied ancient manuscripts, as well as creating masterpieces of love and faith. John Milton wrote about changes he felt needed to come politically and Biblical stories were retold using his talents.