1. Contrasting the Later Middle Ages and the Renaissance
Chapter 12

2. Philosophy Later Middle Ages Renaissance
Religion dominates medieval thought
Scholasticism: Thomas Aquinas reconciles Christianity with Aristotelian science
Humanism: Emphasis on secular concerns due to the rediscovery and study of ancient Greco-Roman culture

3. Ideal Later Middle Ages Renaissance
Man should be well versed in one subject: how to get to heaven
Virtu: Renaissance man should be well rounded (Castiglione)

4. Religion Later Middle Ages Renaissance
Dominates politics; seeks a unified Christian Europe
Church is supreme to state
Inquisition starts in 1223; dissenters dealt with harshly
New Monarchs assert power over national churches
State is supreme to the church
Rise of skepticism
Renaissance popes are worldly and corrupt

5. Literature Later Middle Ages Renaissance
Based almost solely on religion
Written in Latin
Church is the greatest patron of literature and arts
Little political criticism
Handwritten
Humanism; secularism
Northern Renaissance focuses also on writings of early church fathers
Vernacular (e.g., Petrarch, Boccaccio)
Covers a wider variety of subjects (e.g., politic, art, short stories)
Focuses on the individual
Increased use of the printing press; propaganda

6. Sculpture Later Middle Ages Renaissance
More gothic, extremely detailed
Relief
Greek and Roman Classical influences
Freestanding (e.g., Michelangelo’s David)
Use of bronze (e.g. Donatello’s David)

7. Art Later Middle Ages Renaissance Gothic Style
Byzantine style dominates; nearly completely religious
Stiff, one dimensional figures
Little emotions
Stylized, generic-looking faces
Use of gold to illuminate figures
Lack of perspective
Lack of chiaroscuro
Patronized mostly by the church
Increased emphasis on secular themes
Use of perspective
Use of chiaroscuro
Increased use of oil paints
More emotion
Depicts real people and settings
Patronized largely by merchant princes
Patronized by Renaissance popes

8. Architecture Later Middle Ages Renaissance Gothic style
Pointed arches barrel vaults, spires
Flying buttresses
Elaborate detail
Rounded arches, clear lines, Greco-Roman columns
Domes (e.g., Brunelleschi’s Il Duomo)
Less detailed
Focus on balance and form

9. Technology Later Middle Ages Renaissance Dependency on scribes
Use of printing press
New inventions for exploration

10. Marriage and Family Later Middle Ages Renaissance
Divorce is nonexistent
Marriages arranged for economic reasons
Prostitution in urban areas
Average age for men to marry: mid to late twenties
Average age for women to marry: less than twenty
Church encourages cult of paternal care
Many couples do not observe church regulations on marriage
Manner shape men to please women
Relative sexual equality
Divorce is available in certain cases
More prostitution
Marriages are based more on romance
Women are to make themselves pleasing to men (Castiglione)
Sexual double standard
Increased infanticide

11. Status of Women Later Middle Ages Renaissance
Legal status is better than in Renaissance
Legal status declines
Most women are not affected by the Renaissance
Educated women are allowed involvement but must be subservient to men
Rape is not considered a serious crime

12. Politics Later Middle Ages Renaissance
Church tends toward supremacy over the state
State tends toward supremacy over the church
New Monarchs assert control over national churches
Machiavelli

13. Other Differences Later Middle Ages Renaissance
Few blacks live in Europe
The Crusades
African slavery is introduced
Exploration and expansion