A Comparison of Middle Age and Renaissance Cultures

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A comparison of Middle Age and Renaissance Cultures It’s often said, “variety is the spice of life.” Examining art history is proof that this old adage rings true even today. The influences of the arts can be seen in every aspect of modern life. With the advent of technology that allows us to share videos, thoughts, ideas, and stories to a friends palm it is no surprise that dance crazes like the “Harlem shake” gain popularity in the blink of an eye. While these fads come and go, they show how humans can quickly influence each other. These influences can be seen throughout art history. The Middle Ages and the renaissance eras are periods of time where humans influenced each other. While the flow of information did not keep pace with today’s high tech gadgets, the influence on thinking remains the same. At a glance, the Middle Ages and the Renaissance have a very stark contrast. With the Middle Ages garnering the name “the dark ages” and the Renaissance meaning “rebirth” it is easy to see how these two periods would be difficult to relate to each other. However, upon further examination the influences from one era to the next can be clearly followed. The middle ages – renaissance connection can be found in examining the art, music, and drama of each age. The middle ages span such a vast amount of time and styles that they are most likely best categorized into early, middle and late periods. The major events in the Middle Ages are the fall of Rome to the Visigoths, the Norman conquest of England, and the black plague. These events have major influences on the arts during the Middle Ages. The very early Middle Ages began during the fall of the Western Roman Empire. The empire was “married” to the church and the fall of the Western Empire eventually weakened the East as well. This led to a violent time in the West where the feudal

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