El problema de la vida activa y la vida contemplativa en los inicios del Renacimiento

Abstract

This article aims to make a journey through the concepts of “active life” and “contemplative life” in the first humanists of the Renassaince. To do this, let us first look at some important antecedents of Antiquity, such as Cicero and Macrobius. Then, we will analyze the transformations that occur during the Middle Ages, in particular the tension between a conception of ways of life or genera vivendi, and a hierarchical conception of spiritual steps. Finally, we will study some of the Franchesco Petrarch’s and Leonardo Bruni’s works. From the analysis of the De vita solitaria and other texts, we will confirm that Petrarch intends to build a synthesis between the conceptions of ways of life and the spiritual steps. Although Leonardo Bruni shares the ideal of balance, he departs from the hierarchical conception. To demonstrate this, we will analyze his Vite di Dante and Petrarch and his Epistle IX, 2 to Lauro Quirino.