A Comparison of Medieval and A
A culture that evolves and changes through time is a healthy culture indeed. From the early pagan warriors to the artisans of the Renaissance, the European world dramatically reformed. The literature of each era indicates the profound cultural innovations. The Anglo-Saxon's arguably most important literary piece, Beowulf, is a story of a brave warrior who fights Grendel. Grendel is described as, "A powerful monster, living down/ In the darkness..."(lines 1-2). This affray demonstrates the timeless battle of good versus evil. The universal struggle is maintained in the Medieval plight for an ideal of perfect chivalry. Knights were guarded with utmost respect and sincerity as Chaucer's "The General Prologue" from The Canterbury Tales mentions, "There was a Knight, a most distinguished man, / Who from the day on which he first began / To ride abroad had followed chivalry," (lines 43-45). Although the fight of good versus evil is consistent, the moral code is held above pure strength in battle. The Renaissance period was more focused on ideals of intelligence and the arts rather than bravery or actions in battle. Sonnets and rhyming verse were very popular and the most famous were often love stories as was "The Passionate Shepherd to
To ride abroad had followed chivalry, Who from the day on which he first began, He was a true, perfect, gentle knight...(lines 43 - 68). These lines disclose several insights. We see the grim and overpowering `fate` and the fear that was instilled into their culture. Yet close by we read an almost contradictory passage, " ... death / Can only bring you earthly praise/And a song to celebrate a place/With angels, life eternally blessed/In the hosts of Heaven." (lines 76 - 80). Similarly, in Beowulf once again we read a description of Grendel, the evil monster, intrinsically woven with Christian elements as shown in the passage, "Conceived by a pair of those monsters born / Of Cain, murderous creatures banished / By God, punished forever for the crime / Of Abel`s death." (20 - 23). Throughout the Medieval age Christianity establishes a firm hold. As Christianity begins uniting much of Europe in thought, the overwhelming presence of an impersonal fate is absent from the period's literature. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight emphasizes the importance of Christianity by saying, " 'No, by God /,' said Sir Gawain, 'that granted me life,'" (line 346). The impact of Christianity develops into two churches during the Renaissance- the Protestants and the Roman Catholics. Protestants and Catholics both suffered persecution and crimes of intolerance. The Anglo-Saxon, Medieval, and Renaissance periods each contained Christian elements, yet differed in terms of beliefs in fate, and united Christianity.
Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1346
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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