Petrarch's letter “The Ascent of Mount Ventoux” certainly captures much of the spirit of the Renaissance in its appreciation of the natural world, quotations from classical authors, and focus on the experiences of an individual. Let’s look at these in more detail.

The occasion of Petrarch’s letter was his climbing of Mount Ventoux. He includes several detailed and beautiful descriptions of the natural world and what he sees from the top of the mountain. He speaks of the “clouds under our feet” and the vistas of the Alps and the appearance of the sky. Yet these natural scenes, as important as they are, are not central to Petrarch’s letter.

Petrarch fills his letter with references to classical literature. This is very much in the spirit of the Renaissance, which looked back to the Greek and Roman past for inspiration. Petrarch is inspired to climb the mountain by a story in Livy’s history, and he mentions several other classical authors, even quoting Ovid along the way. These references, though, are blended with quotations from Saint Augustine’s Confessions, which seems to be a primary text for Petrarch. This reminds us that Renaissance thinkers and writers will still nearly all Christian and often deeply religious even though they sometimes approached their religion in new ways.

Finally, we see Petrarch focusing on the experiences of an individual: himself. This reflects a humanistic tendency. Petrarch reflects on his spiritual state and how climbing the mountain can be a metaphor for the spiritual life. He closely analyzes his thoughts and feelings and actions to determine the details of his life and spiritual position. This kind of individual meditation is largely in the spirit of the Renaissance.

Many people call Petrarch the “Father of Renaissance Humanism,” and we can see why in this letter. He blends the classics with his religious faith, nature with his humanistic tendencies. We can see his reliance on reason as he pursues his meditations, and we notice how widely read he is. He is greatly inspired by classical texts and uses them to enhance his life and his Christian faith.