The Renaissance vs. The Dark Ages

Worldliness

• After the first major outbreak Black Death ended (1347-1349), life expectancies became longer.

• People gained an increased interest in the quality of their lives.

• This lead to wealthier classes, like merchants, patronizing art, creating more opportunity for secular subjects.

• Before the Renaissance, life was centered on afterlife concerns.

Individualism

• Creators were allowed to take credit for their work (artists, architects, scientists, etc.). 

• Society moved towards valuing individuals and their ambitious goals.

• Dark Ages society, modeled after the Church, rarely emphasized the individual. Christian Europe was taught to attribute nearly everything to God and his designs.

Classical Interests

• Inspired by Petrarch, Greco-Roman texts, art, and literature regained a high level of respect.

• Much of Renaissance artwork and architecture emulated the classical style, while still incorporating religious subjects.

• Greco-Roman ideas were largely overlooked and would have been rejected in the Dark Ages because of their paganism, which was irreconcilable with The Bible.

Learning

• Schooling diversified from the Dark Age canon of language skills and art to encompass classical texts, philosophy, and scientific subjects like astronomy.

• Both Humanists and later Catholic Counter-Reformists (especially orders like the Jesuits) opened universities and other educational centers dedicated to teaching new ideas.

• Schooling also became available to more people, although most still remained illiterate and out of reach.

Additional Resources

• Check out 🎥 information about Dark Ages Europe.

• Watch this 🎥 live stream about the Renaissance.