Difference Between Renaissance and Middle Ages

Renaissance vs Middle Ages

“Renaissance” literally means “awakening” or “rebirth.” It was a European cultural movement between the 14th and the 16th centuries. The Middle Ages was a period from the 5th to 16th centuries. Both eras were remarkably different when compared.
The Renaissance was a cultural movement involving a renewal of learning, development of infrastructure, and a gradual reform in education. The Renaissance may be considered as a sort of a bridge between the Middle Ages and the Modern Age. The Renaissance is best known for its art as this was the age of geniuses as Leonardo da Vinci, Petrarch, Dante, and Michelangelo.
A very prominent difference between the Renaissance and Middle Ages is that of the art. The Renaissance artists followed the more classical form of art. They portrayed human beauty and the religion predominantly. The Renaissance artists had a deep sense of perspective and developed two dimensional effects. Michelangelo’s David is a good example of Renaissance art. The Middle Ages portrayed Gothic art. The Gothic style of architecture is characterized by pointed arches and ribbed vaults. This form of portrayal incorporated fine woodwork and stonework. The Gothic art used flying buttresses and ornamental gables. A good example of the medieval age is the Notre Dame Cathedral located in Paris.
Another point of comparison between the Renaissance and Middle Ages is the literature. The development of the printing press was the greatest cultural achievement of the Renaissance. This encouraged the writers to write in the local language. The writers followed and switched over to vernacular from Greek and Latin. The literature in this age achieved new heights in the form of Elizabethan literature. In the literature was also a portrayal of humans, called Humanism, seen. In the Medieval ages, the English literature faced a dark phase. The languages of that era were Latin and Greek. Authors of that age used parchment paper, and all the text was painstakingly handwritten by a trained scribe.
In the Middle Ages the power of church was at its peak. The church had a strong influence on the lives of the individuals. People followed the church laws as the church was considered to be coming directly from God. With time, many vices entered this system leading to its downfall. Before the Renaissance, the Roman Catholic Church was the only universal European institution. The age of Renaissance brought the ideal of humanism. This era had a great impact on the contemporary theology.

Summary:

1.The Middle Ages was a period from the 5th to 16th centuries. The Renaissance was the period between the 14th and the 16th centuries.
2.The printing press was used in the Renaissance Age whereas parchment was used in the Middle Ages.
3.The Renaissance Age portrayed humanism in art while Gothic art was prevalent in the Middle Ages.
4.Local English language was used in the literature of the Renaissance Age whereas Greek and Latin were used in the Middle Ages.
5.The Church had a greater role in peoples’ lives in the Middle Ages than in the Renaissance Age.

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