Faustus and Education
This page was created by the student of my Fall 2007 English Literature class at Florida Southern College. They were asked to find sites that would provide information about education during the early modern period. In particular, to consider how education was an important part of Christopher Marlowe's The Tragical History of Dr. Faustus.
The Medieval and Early Modern Curriculum (Woods, UTexas)
Synopsis: Basically, students during the middle ages studied poetry or texts consisting of poetry while university students focused on theoretical studies or “prose texts”. However, (according to the web site) during the renaissance the situation was reversed; more university studies revolved around poetry rather than theoretical studies.
--Tony Rivera
Renaissance: The Elizabethan World
--Isabel Arevalo
Renaissance: What Every Schoolboy Knows
In the early modern education system, boys usually went to school and girls learned at home. The most elementary level of schooling taught students how to read and write and do sums. Most students would then go on to grammar school where the would learn Latin and be prepared to go to a university where courses were conducted in Latin. Many times school would be held at a church and the students would study biblical text and prayers as well.
--Jesse Larson
Grammar seems to be the primary focus of elementary schools, more specifically, Latin grammar. Any non-noble man who plans to make something of himself must have a working knowledge f the Latin language. Much of the focus is on grammar alone and less on spelling.
--Ben Lott
Renaissance: A Classical Education
--Samantha Mattell
Dartford Town Archive: Grammar Schools
The main sources of education were provided by the church. At this time, a gradual move away from the church was seen. There were three types of school: grammar school, charity school, and Sunday school. While Elizabeth I was in reign the number of grammar schools increased dramatically. Renaissance students attending grammar schools emphasized their studies on English grammar, reading, writing, arithmetic, Latin, Greek, and French.
--Nicole Pearson
Education started in the medieval ages where people would learn at churches. Around 1500 we saw a switch from the traditional church teachings to the early modern Schools. Most of these schools were funded by the townspeople and there were three kinds of schools; grammar schools, charity schools, and Sunday schools. Students at a grammar school were given a traditional education with the majority of lessons taught on English grammar, reading, writing, arithmetic, Latin, Greek and French. Students at charity schools learned very basic information because many people believed that teaching the poor was a very bad idea and could ruin the social order. Students at Sunday schools were usually neglected poor children that were taught how to read and write. The role of the university was usually to have a valuable role in providing a setting for science during the Middle Ages. A great deal of the topics discussed at universities was philosophy, mathematics and medicine. One of the earliest Universities was Oxford located in England. This information helps understand the first scene because he talks of things like philosophy, art, and Aristotle's works. This Faustus also talks of college lecture halls. Understanding education and the education system during the middle ages helps us understand what Christopher Marlowe is talking about and where he gets his ideas from.
--Thomas Bigelow
This article discussed the rise of grammar, sunday schools and charity schools and how they were first started by the church. But between 1500 and 1800, the schools became more educational than religious. People who were educated were more professional in jobs or the church and because this was a good thing, schools started to expand. Successful people would donate money to the schools to improve them. Renaissance people did not get the education that we get today. They learned grammar and pretty much read the bible.
--Ali Hamlin
The early modern period lasted from about the 1500 to the 1800. It was a very influential time for many. One of the major changes that came from the early modern period was the spread of education. The expansions of Protestantism lead to a growing number of grammar school. There were also charity schools, and Sunday schools for children as well. The main reason for this sudden expansion of school is because the Protestants believed that everyone, even the commoners, should be able to read the Bible. The classes were very small and usually predominantly male. The curriculum contained a mix of grammar, reading, writing, arithmetic, Latin, Greek and French. Trustees would choose eight local boys to send off for grammar school each year. These schools where either housed at the schoolmasters home, or in churches.
--Krista Miller
The website basically describes the main sources of early education as either grammar, charity, or sunday schools. At this time Renaissance students generally received a classical, literary education which would then help them prepare for jobs such as the law, commerce, or even in the church. The typical system at Universities were mainly based around the church, the church provided either nuns or vicars to teach and they also encouraged their students to read the Bible.
--Sarah Anderson
This website describes how in the Middle Ages, education originated from the Church. However, from 1500 to 1800 education moved from the church to locally funded education facilities. The three main types of schools were Grammar schools, Charity schools, and Sunday schools. Grammar schools were targeted towards young, poor students who, if not for the grammar schools, would not receive a proper education. Charity schools were instead more focused on quantity and not quality of education. The objective of the Charity schools was to quell the growth of knowledge in lower class citizens in order to deter them from revolting against the government. It was desired for all to be able to read the Bible, so students were taught the bare minimums to meet this goal but to proceed no further. Unlike Grammar schools, however, Charity schools allowed as many students into the schools as could fit. This being the case, the majority of renaissance students simply studied how to read and write. Sunday school was formed by Rev. Robert Raikes. It was a Christian school for poor, neglected children. Rev. Raikes' idea spread throughout England and more Sunday schools were created as a result.
--Tim Brown
During this era Christianity was the major religion and a very controlling one at that. Education in schools formed out of the need to teach people and inform then about the ways of a almighty God. The grammar schools first taught children in the areas of reading, writing, and math. Other languages such as French, Greek and Latin were taught at the schools as well. At the Universities students main focuses were on the area of theology, philosophy and the sciences.
--Ashley McClelland
Early modern education was mostly provided by the church. Most of the teachers were nuns in these times. The problem with having education outside of the church was there wasn't enough funding. The church was were the money, education, and medical help all came from in these times. Since the schools were in church's, renaissance students studied mostly religion. Literature wasn't taught as much until grammar schools could stand outside of the church.
--Danolita Shook
Between 1500 and 1700, grammar schools, charity schools and Sunday schools evolved. Middle class boys were the fortunate to attend such schools. The importance in grammar schools was literacy. During this time, education was meant to inspire people to read the Bible. Charity schools were opened to help the poor at least be able to read the Bible. Supposedly, if the poor were receive an education, then that would eventually mess the social order. (Oh no, what a nightmare!) Some kind of school had to come about for the forgotten poor children. Sunday school was created to teach the poor children to read and write. People were realizing that education needed to be more widespread.
--Evelyn Lozano
Before the 1500 time period education was primarily provided by the Church. That all changed during the sixteenth century. From the sixteenth century through the nineteenth century education took a turn for the better as charity, grammar and Sunday schools began to develop. During the reign of Elizabeth I, Protestants encouraged the spread of literacy throughout the county in order for the people to have the ability read the Bible on their own and come to their own conclusions concerning God. The grammar schools made it possible for working-and middle-class boys to gain an education and better their lives. Although these changes in education were occurring, the development was gradual and many areas of education still surrounded the subject of religion and the Church.
--Heidi Grondahl
The Educational Legacy of Renaissance Traditions: Medieval Universities
The website that I found laid down an overview of what education was like during the renaissance. It explained that women were not as educated as men. It went over how education was mostly for the clergy and how scholars and scholars to be were expected to learn things related to doctorial themes. Also they were supposed to study the sacred texts of the clergy. The system that was used at the Universities was filled with that of liberal arts. The curriculum was geared towards those seeking degrees in church, law, business and education. The course of study was from ancient Greece and broken up into different sections or disciplines.
--Matt Sutton
Universities were commonly used to educate members of the clergy. Most colleges of the period were theological schools. This higher education structure explains why the church held so much power during this time. Many members of the clergy were well-educated and maintained positions of authority because of their higher knowledge.
--Ben Lott
--Dr. Eskin
“A Gift from the Middle Ages” by Thomas E. Woods, Jr.
At the universities of the early modern period, students were expected to study the various subjects of the liberal arts, along with cultivating an understanding of medicine, natural philosophy, theology, and the aspects of law. Some universities became known for focusing in a particular subject; law at Bologna, theology at Paris, et cetera. The general set-up of a course would have the professor ask a question of the students, who were expected to debate the opposing view, continuing back and forth in this manner until the debate was resolved; it was designed to encourage logical thinking among the students instead of merely memorizing facts. The church played a highly important role among the universities. For example the Catholic church had to approve a university before it was allowed to issue degrees, and the Pope was often a strong advocate for universities' rights.
--Diana Laraway
Renaissance Connection: Humanism in the Renaissance
During the early modern era of education people started paying less attention to God and religious aspects of life and started having a more self-centered focus. They began to look at their surroundings and how they affected them. The students began to change their ways of thinking and studying materials. The universities began to integrate more math, engineering and architecture into the taught curriculum. A lot of studies began to revolve around human interest. Humanism became very evident in many various areas of their culture. For example, in paintings, the religious figures were no longer painted as larger or brighter colored to emphasize their meaning; they were now brought down to human size. Which shows the lack of religious interest and the focus on more humanistic qualities.
--Sara Lovestrand
Encarta: Renaissance: Humanism
Renaissance students studied humanism with the purpose of improving themselves morally and physically as well as intellectually. Faustus thinks carefully about each of these when considering his studies, but he decides that becoming a physician or a lawyer will not help him reach satisfaction. He also decides against studying scripture due to his selective reading of verses emphasizing sin and death. Instead, he decides to study magic despite several warnings he receives which implies that he thinks differently than the rest of society. The university studies do not include magic, whether used for good or evil.
--Samantha Mattell
Wikipedia: University
From what I can observe, renaissance students study art history, music, and some literature. Unlike today most did not study mathematics, social sciences, or science in general. Only men were allowed to study in the universities.
"In Europe, young men proceeded to university when they had completed their study of the trivium–the preparatory arts of grammar, rhetoric, and dialectic or logic–and the quadrivium: arithmetic, geometry, music, and astronomy. (See Degrees of the University of Oxford for the history of how the trivium and quadrivium developed in relation to degrees, especially in Anglophone universities).
--Amanda Maxey
last updated 4/08