Renaissance Humanism - Essay Example

Part A: Discuss the story of the Judgment of Paris here. The Judgment of Paris happened because Eris was not invited to the marriage of Peleus and Thetis, so to start mischief, she threw a golden apple with an inscription, “For the fairest.” Juno, Minerva, and Venus claimed the apple as the fairest. Zeus did not want to make the decision and he sent his goddesses to the shepherd Paris, who would make the decision. Juno promised Paris power and riches, Minerva glory and recognition in war, and Venus the most beautiful of women for his wife.

Paris gave the golden apple to Venus and so he made the other two goddesses his enemies.Part B:Discuss here how Berninis sculpture captures the essence of the story of Apollo and Daphne.Bernini captures the essence of the story of Apollo and Daphne because of the actions and reactions of the characters in the sculpture and because of the items in it that altogether provide the emotions and meanings of the original story. Apollo lovingly grabs Daphne. He is running after her, so he is in the movement of a running man.

It shows his desperation because of his passionate love for her. Daphne, however, hates Apollo and calls help from his father. Her face is a frantic plea for her father to save her from Apollo. She reaches up to prevent Apollo from touching her and she becomes a tree during this process. Her hands are already turning to branches and leaves. Somehow, her face also shows freedom. She seems to be in a transition from anxiety to calmness as she becomes a tree and remains free from Apollo’s advances.

This transition from human to tree is part of the Greek myth.part C:Use this space to discuss how Berninis sculpture captures the story of St. Teresa of Avilas encounter with an angel, as described in her autobiography. Bernini’s sculpture captures the story of St. Teresa of Avilas encounter with an angel because he includes the main characters of the story and the emotions that came with the story. His sculpture has an angel with the arrow that is positioned toward Teresa’s heart. He is smiling in his act of thrusting the arrow to her.

Rays of light are coming down on Teresa. Teresa is already experiencing ecstasy with her closed eyes and parted lips. The deep folds of her clothes suggest movement of her pleasures for the arrow. The way that Teresa also lies down with her left hand clutching the clouds and left foot in display reinforce her feelings of deep oneness with God. She receives God inside her and feels the full force of her spiritual marriage with God as if it is both physical and spiritual.Part D:This is Bernini’s sculpture, The Rape of Proserpina.

Pluto or Hades kidnaps and rapes Proserpina in the Underworld. The two-headed dog Cerberus is included to signify that it is Hades who kidnaps her. It can be seen how he grabs Proserpina by her waist and thighs that she is trying to escape. She does not want to be with Hades. She is even crying, as her left hand pushes his face away. But the tensed muscles of Hades show that he will not let her go. The story shows nonverbally through the emotions and actions of the characters how a man rapes a woman by taking her freedom of choice away from her.

Proserpina is beautiful, which is why Hades desires her, but she does not want to be with him, so her struggle is the struggle of all women who are forced to do men’s will. The two-headed dog underscores the viciousness of violence that men impose on women, not just during rape, but in all the times that they dominate them. Hades does not care for Proserpina’s free will. He takes what he wants. Proserpina is physically weak and cannot defend herself. The result is a woman who loses the fight because of men who use their power against women.

The story of Proserpina’s rape is still a modern one because it reflects modern gender issues. Many women continue to feel raped, physically and socially, as well as politically and economically when men dominate them and take away their freedoms and opportunities for self-development. Rape is not always sexual. It can also be psychological and political. It can also be economic when men control the wealth in the family. Thus, The Rape of Proserpina reflects gender issues of women disempowerment.