Medieval versus the Renaissance Periods PDF

MEDIEVAL VERSUS THE RENAISSANCE PERIODS 1
Medieval versus the Renaissance Periods
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MEDIEVAL VERSUS THE RENAISSANCE PERIODS 2
MEDIEVAL VERSUS THE RENAISSANCE PERIODS
In our contemporary history books, the medieval era, also referred to as the Middle
Ages, is classified as the period before 476AD. Historians usually refer to the medieval
period as the period between the fall of the Roman Empire and the Renaissance. In the
medieval period, historians record that the period was characterized by slow rates of
economic growth, ceaseless famines, droughts, and epidemics. Moreover, the societies
enjoyed less freedom of expression and the Roman Catholic Church controlled almost all
societal systems. Although many scholars suggest that the medieval period preceded the
Renaissance, it should be noted that the two periods overlapped and merged. The marge
marked the end of the medieval period and the onset of the Renaissance period.
Synonymously referred to as the Age of Discovery, the Renaissance marked a period
characterized by civilization, numerous inventions, economic revival, and significant freedom
of expression. Considering that it is problematic to state that societies in the Renaissance era
led better lives than societies in the Middle Ages, this paper will specifically compare and
contrast three broad areas namely: literature and religion, the status of women, and the status
of the aged in the medieval and the Renaissance epochs.
The end of the medieval period allowed a change of literature and religion. During the
medieval period, written literature and paintings were greatly influenced by religion. When a
painter, a poet or a sculptor wanted to perform his/her art, he/she had to refer to the Roman
Catholic Church. This incapacitated the development of art and science during the medieval
ages. However, in the Renaissance era, freedom of expression is seen from the art and
literature of renowned artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Nicollo Machiavelli, and
Michelangelo. Freedom of expression is overtly seen when poets such as Pietro Aretino went
further to attack the Pope in his piece of poetry. According to Lewis (1996), the Renaissance
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