Renaissance Humanists - were obsessed with the discovery, study,
                                interpretation, and  transmission of the intellectual
                                     heritage of ancient Greece and Rome.         

                  They were particularly interested in what the Roman philosopher 
                 and statesman Cicero(106-43 B.C.) defined as "human studies" 
                 or the liberal arts.    

               Cicero - favored those subjects such as grammar, rhetoric, poetry, 

                                                literature, and moral philosophy(ethics) which help us 
                                           to become more eloquent, thoughtful, and virtuous human beings. 

      The fundamental agenda of the humanists

             - was to use what they called the study of humanity(humanitas, 文科 敎育과 訓鍊) 

                          to make people more civilized and more humane. 
       A tremendous faith in the power of language 
             - the study of classical languages such as Greek and Latin 
                      and the return to the original source materials를 강조 
 

Renaissance humanists - made rich contributions to the development

                                           of history and philosophy. 

 In literature - many of the humanists contributed to the flowering of 
                            Italian vernacular drama and poetry.