Middle Ages and the Renaissance Are Two

¶ … Middle Ages and the Renaissance are two historical periods in Europe that give interest to many philosophers, writers, and artists, among many others, in their study of how the Europeans, in their respective periods, lived their lives. In the study of the Middle Ages, sometimes also known as the "Dark Ages," and the Renaissance, also known as the period of "rebirth," similarities and differences can be presented based on the people's way of life, religion, culture, politics, arts and literature, and economy.

One main difference between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance is the way people value individuality. The people of the Middle Ages were guided by the teachings of their religion and church, which in contrast to the Renaissance whose people adhere more of individualism, valuing their potential of gaining achievements in life. Renaissance has been known as an era in which Europe emerged from depression and economic stagnation of the Middle Ages. It was a period that brought about change. The transformations and advancements of the Renaissance, if viewed at one point, were results of the period's individualism and of giving importance to one's capacity of achieving excellence. In a view in "A Comparison of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance," it was written that, the Middle Ages believed "ideal is the monastery," that people practiced withdrawal from the sinful world and living a contemplative life. While in Renaissance, "ideal is civic participation," emphasizing human accomplishments and individual excellence.

Individualism in the Renaissance period was also demonstrated on how its people value education. Books had been costly and education had been rare during the Middle Ages. Only the clergy had been regular readers and owners of book. In the Renaissance, the educated middle classes, who could now afford books, demanded works in their own languages. Humanism and new philosophies were also written, unlike in the Middle Ages where teachings were guided by the church.

Politics also underwent a substantial change in the Renaissance, stepping back from the church and gaining a new kind of autonomy.

Resemblance between the Middle Ages and Renaissance arts on the other hand is obvious in their subject matter. Although the power of the church declines politically, the Renaissance artists remained devout Catholics, as the people had been in the Middle Ages. The art from both periods places great emphasis on the importance of The Madonna. Differences, however, were shown on their presentation of human figures in arts, paintings, and sculptures. Human art forms in the Middle Ages were always draped in long clothing, showing no skin apart from face and hands. The Renaissance artists, in contrast, hold great admiration for the human form (especially the naked human body), which were inspired by the Classic Greek and Roman styles.