Molding the plastic soul of youth. The Ratio Studiorum and the manifacture of educated and catholic subjects

Norberto Dallabrida

doi:10.36253/rse-10424

Abstract

This essay intends to re-read the Ratio Studiorum by analyzing its strategies and pedagogical tactics in the production of the subjectivity of Jesuitic students, in connection with the ascetic principles of the Society of Jesus and the social circumstances of a century characterized by religious reforms and wars.

Highlights

GIVING ANOTHER MEANING TO CLASSICAL KNOWLWDGEThe central objective of the lower classes was to provide the Jesuit student with a solid grammatical knowledge, as some help and support for philosophy and mainly theology studies
Indicating what should be common to all the lower classes, the Ratio says: “Above all, what is to be common is the reading of Cicero, so that the easiest things are to be asked to the least advanced group, the most difficult ones to the other groups” (Franca 1952, 168)
Just as it was preferred for the prelection, Cicero was the main author, which should be imitated in compositions and evaluations of exams, tests, and disputes

Summary

GIVING ANOTHER MEANING TO CLASSICAL KNOWLWDGE

The central objective of the lower classes was to provide the Jesuit student with a solid grammatical knowledge, as some help and support for philosophy and mainly theology studies. The choice of literary school knowledge to be followed by all the Jesuit teachers was explicitly defined in the rule connected to the prelection: “In the prelections, only the ancient classics, never the modern writers, are to be explained.” It meant to teach the Latin and Greek grammar in a formal way, Franca (1952). Indicating what should be common to all the lower classes, the Ratio says: “Above all, what is to be common is the reading of Cicero, so that the easiest things are to be asked to the least advanced group, the most difficult ones to the other groups” (Franca 1952, 168) Just as it was preferred for the prelection, Cicero was the main author, which should be imitated in compositions and evaluations of exams, tests, and disputes. The Catholic-Tridentine doctrine was made of theological rudiments, which would be studied in detail and depth in the theology classes

MODERN BODY DISCIPLINE

FINAL CONSIDERATIONS