Francios Rabelias Essay, Research Paper

In Italy, early 1300s, a cultural movement began. This period of time is known as the Renaissance, an age of reborn interest in the arts. During this time artist emerged with paintings that recognized daily life, in contrast with paintings of holy and importain people just a few years earlier. Artist began to paint in three dimensions, writers began write satires, and they started blending their opinions into their stories. They became concerned with human welfare, humanism.

" Humanism was a program of study rather than a unified philosophy. It stressed the studia humanitatis, or humanities, which included grammar, rhetoric (the art of persuasive argument), poetry, history, and moral philosophy. It was designed to make the Christian well-rounded and virtuous. "

People like Michangelo, Leonardo da Vinchi, Lorenzo de Medici, Raphael,and St. Thomas More were humanists. They were concerned with human welfare, this is the reason why it is represented in there works. The one I am going to focus on is Francios Rabelias.

Rabelias was a writer. Over time many of the information we have about him as been lost or destroyed. "We have most of his works, but it is believed there is more. " Below I have listed a believed chronology of Rabelias, it may have inaccurate due the lack of information on Rabelias.

"1494 Now the Generally accepted date of Rabelias?s birth, although at times it has

been published back as far as 1483. Born at La Deviniere, a family

property near Chinon, where his father, Antoino Rabelias, was a lawyer. "

"1511 Possibly date for his entry into a monastery of the Franciscan order at

Fontenay-le-Comte "

"1525 Passes to the Benedictine Order with the hope that he can pursue more

freely his humanistic studies. "

"1530 September 17– Rablelais registers at the school of medicine of the

University of Montpellier. "

"1531 April 17 to June 24 gives lectures on Hippocrates and Galen. Towards the

end of the years goes to Lyons. "

"1532 Publication of Pantagruel and the Pantagrueline Prognostication, a

facetious almanac for the year 1533. Nominated doctor at the hospital of

Hotel-Dieu. "

"1533 Pantagruel is censured by the Sorbonne on October 23. November 8–

leaves for Italy with Cardinal Jean du Bellay as his personal secretary and

doctor. "

"1534 February-march—-stay in Rome.

May–back in Lyons.

August– Publication or Gargantua. "

"1535 Second trip to Rome with Jean du Bellay "

"1536 July–Returns to Lyons and then departs for Paris with the Cardinal who is

in charge of fortifying the capital against Charles V. "

"1537 Receives MD at Montpellier. Dissects the body of a hanged man. "

"1538 Death of Rabelais?s son, Theodulus, at the age of two. "

"1540 Rabelais goes to Turin with Guillaume du Belay, the Cardinals eldest

brother. "

"1542 December–returns to France with Guillaume du Bellay who will die before

reaching his destination. "

"1543 The Sorbonne censures again Gargantua and Pantagruel. "

"1546 Publication of the third book. "

"1552 Publication of the fourth book. Weatherhead

"1553 Death of Rabelias, April. "

Rabelais most famous work is Gargantua and Pantaguel. Rabelias used

laughter in his writings to question and examine the most importain institutions of

his time. Rabelias normally made fun of, satire, of ideas of his time. Why did the

writers use satire rather than just say their opinions?

They, writers, would hide their opinions within stories for a couple of reasons.

One, they were afraid of persecution. Two, "the story would attract more people,

more people would then hear his opinion. " They could have many other reasons for

hiding their opinions, but these are the most likely.

In Gargantuan and Pantaguel, Gargantua and his son are giants with enormous

appetites. Besides the humor the story has a point. The story Gargantua?s

education is a symbol for the educational methods of his time.

What is wrong with our society? We have to hide our opinions within stories

because we fear persecution. Rabelias and many other writers did this–this is how

we have our text in modern days. With out their stories we would have been

Weatherhead

studding the same things they were studding during the Renaissance. Before we

say that these people where wrong we should look at what they have exposed for

us. A good example is Simon Freud, he was a little crazy, but he exposed the

world of Psychology. I guess what I am trying to say is that we should look at

"freaks" and study them, they to can help us avoid repeating the same mistakes

throughout history

Weatherhead

1. Ahlfinger, Randy. (1973) Francios Rabelias. Penguin Books, Inc

2. Davidson, Richard.(1993).Humanism. The World Book Encyclopedia(vol. H, pp430).World Book, Inc.

3. Davidson, Richard.(1993).Rabelias. The World Book Encyclopedia(vol. R,

pp233-239).World Book, Inc.

4. Davidson, Richard.(1993).Renaissance. The World Book Encyclopedia(vol. R

pp150).World Book, Inc.

5. Tetel, Marcel.(1967). Rabelias (pg 15-16), Twayne Publishers, Inc.