In 1579, this document’s year of publication, Western Europe was in the middle of a cultural and intellectual revival known as the Renaissance. An integral component of Renaissance thinking was “natural law”, a moral code applicable to all human beings regardless of social status. Natural law contrasts sharply with absolutism, a form of government in which the ruler has complete governing control over a population and can legislate regardless of the people’s interests. The text appears to be a response to absolutism in Europe that denounces absolute monarchical power, instead favoring humanistic ideas such as natural law and liberty. The author’s implicitly explained background information, his word choice, and the issues addressed imply that
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He relates kings to vassals and God to their superior lord in order to help the reader better understand the superior authority that he believes God has over monarchs. According to the author, one who obeys a monarch’s laws over God’s laws commits rebellion the same way that one obeying a vassal over a superior lord does. Additionally, the author references Christianity when he mentions people who are “more than mere private persons” (3), such as Moses, Ehud, and Jehu, called upon by God in order to resist their leaders with arms. While this specific reference to Christianity gives context on the author’s background by imparting that, because the author references Christianity in addition to feudalism in 1579, he is likely in Western Europe, it also denies that “private people” who have not received explicit divine inspiration like the aforementioned prophets have should be allowed to resist leaders with arms. The reluctance of the author to resort to warfare against an oppressive ruler suggests that the author could be pacifistic, a characteristic closely tied to humanism in that both emphasize the value of individual human beings. Humanism and pacifism both increased in popularity during the Renaissance as scholars argued for peaceful forms of Christianity and individual …show more content…
Analogies and references used in the text, along with the text’s date of publication, imply that the text comes from Western Europe. The text’s location is significant because it provides insight into the political movements occurring during the time period, such as a move away from absolutist governments and towards a humanistic society. In essence, the author of the text addresses the issues of civil law and the power of the monarchy in order to explain that a humanistic government that respects individual rights is preferable to an absolute
He relates kings to vassals and God to their superior lord in order to help the reader better understand the superior authority that he believes God has over monarchs. According to the author, one who obeys a monarch’s laws over God’s laws commits rebellion the same way that one obeying a vassal over a superior lord does. Additionally, the author references Christianity when he mentions people who are “more than mere private persons” (3), such as Moses, Ehud, and Jehu, called upon by God in order to resist their leaders with arms. While this specific reference to Christianity gives context on the author’s background by imparting that, because the author references Christianity in addition to feudalism in 1579, he is likely in Western Europe, it also denies that “private people” who have not received explicit divine inspiration like the aforementioned prophets have should be allowed to resist leaders with arms. The reluctance of the author to resort to warfare against an oppressive ruler suggests that the author could be pacifistic, a characteristic closely tied to humanism in that both emphasize the value of individual human beings. Humanism and pacifism both increased in popularity during the Renaissance as scholars argued for peaceful forms of Christianity and individual …show more content…
Analogies and references used in the text, along with the text’s date of publication, imply that the text comes from Western Europe. The text’s location is significant because it provides insight into the political movements occurring during the time period, such as a move away from absolutist governments and towards a humanistic society. In essence, the author of the text addresses the issues of civil law and the power of the monarchy in order to explain that a humanistic government that respects individual rights is preferable to an absolute