Introduction
In its development, the society has undergone significant changes in many areas of its life. These transformations concern political, economic, social, and cultural aspects, each of which made a unique contribution to the development of individuals. Every period that society has undergone has had a certain ignorance.
Within the framework of this work, the study of the differences between such time passages as the Renaissance and the Middle Ages is of particular interest. This essay will argue that humanism, the development of literature and science, and cultural advances distinguish the Renaissance from the Middle Ages by examining the scientific sources. There will be primary and secondary sources, which will provide an opportunity to find the most valuable information about these historical periods.
Before discussing epochs such as the Renaissance and the Middle Ages, it is worth paying attention to what they represented. Thus, the first is often characterized as the awakening period, which underwent significant changes in all areas of society and gave rise to new development. The Middle Ages, in turn, can be characterized by the leading role of theology and religion, which also affected how people perceived the world.
Humanism
First, it is necessary to pay attention to the most crucial aspect distinguishing the Renaissance era from the Middle Ages. This characteristic is the development of an intellectual movement called humanism, which laid the foundation for developing other essential aspects of this time. Research stated that “humanism arises when a man begins to think about himself, his place in the universe, the essence of his nature and what he is capable of, the meaning and purpose of his existence.” Thus, the Renaissance as a period of thought development can be characterized as an era of formation and finding answers to questions about what a person is and what place and role he has in this world.
In this context, a distinctive feature of the Middle Ages is that in place of humanism, the leading intellectual thought was scholasticism. The peculiarity of this school of thought was a firm reliance on reason and logic, as well as on such aspects as theology and faith. In addition, research pointed out that “scholastic thinkers can be counted on to have drawn heavily from and developed squarely upon earlier medieval thought, rather than to have rejected it.” Thus, unlike humanism, which focused on the role of individuals in society, the thinkers of scholasticism focused on finding justifications for religion and faith.
Analyzing the scientific literature on humanism in the Renaissance provided significant valuable information about the no. It is emphasized that “humanists believed in the importance of an education in classical literature and the promotion of civic virtue, that is, realizing a person’s full potential both for their good and for the good of the society in which they live.” This aspect emphasizes that humanism, despite its definition and origin, pays attention not only to the development and understanding of an individual. On the contrary, this intellectual thought is based on the desire to find ways to support people as a whole and allow them to understand themselves, thereby benefiting society.
Literature
Another critical distinguishing aspect of the Renaissance from the Middle Ages is the direction and development that literature and culture have experienced. It is noted that the humanism discussed earlier had a substantial impact on this aspect of the publishing house’s work, which led to the fact that many writers and artists focused on human development. This aspect implies focusing on the formation of people’s perception of themselves, their place in society, and even social justice. Another distinctive feature of the Renaissance cultural area was the emphasis on realism. Unlike the Middle Ages, this period of development of society put aside religious motives and faith and paid more attention to the person.
Regarding literature, it is also worth noting that this area has undergone significant transformations due to introducing more classical forms and realism. Hence, similar to culture and art, it moved away from religious topics and considerations and paid more emphasis to provide the reader with the complexities and intricacies of human nature. It is worth noting that, in addition, the literature of this period attempted to study the racial issue.
Therefore, Britton pointed out that “scholars of Renaissance literature have explored what concepts of race do in specific cultural contexts, and the various ways racial differences were represented and understood.” Thus, unlike the Middle Ages, this period can also be characterized as an era of transformation of thought regarding the expansion of human knowledge, not only about the nature of people but also their external differences.
A distinctive feature of Renaissance literature was also the departure from the topic of theology and the rite of attention to the outside world. Borlik stated, “In tandem with the invention of the landscape by Renaissance painters, writers thought new ways—while reviving and adapting ancient ones—to capture the beauty, fragility, and animacy of the natural world.” This aspect was also of particular value because of the influence of current realism on many works of cultural figures. In other words, we can say that the Renaissance also attempted to adapt earlier ideas to new realities and to know the world surrounding a person. This is because it is essential for the formation of a human personality.
Science
Another vital area that significantly distinguishes the Renaissance from the Middle Ages is science. During this period, some of humanity’s most important scientific discoveries took place, which are studied and respected to this day. Hence, in this era, such scientists as Copernicus, Galileo, and Kepler were engaged in their activities. These scientists have made a significant contribution to the transformation of how society sees the world.
Middle Ages had a much smaller contribution to the scientific field of knowledge development, as they mainly relied heavily on the Church and Aristotle’s teachings. This aspect contributed to the reduction and inability to make discoveries since people believed that reason and justifications for many events could be found in religion.
Science paid special attention to discoveries regarding innovations in people’s everyday lives and the study of society. Much attention was paid to studying such a concept as a utopian society. Research pointed out that “during the European Renaissance, scholars and members of the bourgeoisie showed a strong interest in practical philosophy, namely ethics and politics.” This area of knowledge has contributed to the ability of individuals to speculate about what people should be like for them to achieve an ideal society. This thought was also strongly influenced by the spread of the view of nature as a living entity. In other words, it was considered an integral part of human nature and personality and studied scientifically, politically, and culturally.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this essay has argued that the main distinguishing characteristics of the Renaissance era are the promotion and development of such fields as literature, science, and humanistic intellectual thought. This conclusion was facilitated by using a group of sources, including primary and secondary works. This aspect contributed to the maintenance of the derived claims and statements to give credibility to the work.
The study determined that, unlike the Middle Ages, the Renaissance era saw significant transformations in the worldview, which focused on the study of man and his purpose in the universe. Moreover, there was a change in the vector of literature, which also focused more on considering people, their differences, and the meaning of nature as a living entity. In science, the Renaissance also differs from the Middle Ages in its advancement and attention to all areas of society.
Bibliography
Borlik, Todd Andrew. “Renaissance Literature and the Environment.” In Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Literature, 2022.
Britton, Dennis Austin. “Race and Renaissance Literature.” InOxford Research Encyclopedia of Literature, 2022.
Cartwright, Mark. “Renaissance Humanism.” World History Encyclopedia, 2020.
Collins, David J. “Scholasticism and High Medieval Opposition to Magic.” The Routledge History of Medieval Magic, 2019, pp. 459-474.
Eklund, Hillary, ed. Teaching Social Justice through Shakespeare: Why Renaissance Literature Matters Now. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2019.
Normatova, Dildor. “Issues of Man and Humanism in Renaissance Literature and Art in Europe.” Academicia: An International Multidisciplinary Research Journal, vol. 11, no. 3, 2021, pp. 1865-1871.
Omodeo, Pietro Daniel. “Bernardino Telesio and the Natural Sciences in the Renaissance” Brill, vol. 29, 2019.
Randles, William Graham Lister. Geography, Cartography and Nautical Science in the Renaissance: The Impact of the Great Discoveries. Oxfordshire: Routledge, 2022.
Steiris, Georgios. “Humanity, Nature, Science and Politics in Renaissance Utopias.” Edinburgh University Press, 2020, pp. 272-282.