Read the following materials and answer the questions as required:

Material 1: Man has noble reason, man has great power, his behavior is like an angel, and his wisdom is like an angel.

——Shakespeare

(1) What kind of life trends did Shakespeare’s famous sayings in Material 1 reflect in Western Europe at that time? What are the core claims of this trend of thought?

Answer

(1) Humanism; people-oriented, affirming human nature and affirming real life.