Download or read book German Writers of the Renaissance and Reformation, 1280-1580 written by James N. Hardin and published by Dictionary of Literary Biograp. This book was released on 1997 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Essays on German writers of the late Middle Ages, whose works and lives are illustrative of the thought and zeitgeist of the period. This period was characterized as a downhill slide from optimism to pessimism, accompanied by intellectual decline, political disintegration and increasing spiritual malaise. Includes discussion of the history and traits of German humanism, including individualism, patriotism and critique.