Question

What were the main components that made up the culture of the Middle Ages?

Answer 1

The Middle Ages was the period between the 5th and the 15th century in European history. It begins with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ends with either the Renaissance or the Age of Discovery.

• What were the main components that made up the culture of the Middle Ages?

There are several ways to analyze the culture of the Middle Ages. In terms of architecture, the Middle Ages saw the birth of Romanesque and Gothic architecture, mainly developed in churches and castles. Metalwork, manuscript illustration and wall-paintings were other common forms of art. Christianity became relevant in all aspects of life and eventually motivated the Crusades (wars of reconquest). After the Black Death arose in 1347, about 35 million people died in the next three years. However, the plague returned several times throughout the 14th century.  

• What happened in the Middle Ages, intellectually, between the 11th and 14th centuries?

The main debate in intellectual life during the Middle Ages was whether reason could be applied to faith. This led to a reexploration of Platonic ideals and advances in philosophy and theology. Law was also developed through an advance of Roman law into areas previously dominated by customary law. Vernacular literature increased, even though education remained mostly a privilege of the future clergy.

• What was Scholasticism?

Scholasticism is primarily a method of learning that places emphasis on dialectical reasoning (deciding between opposites or contradictions through logic). This method of critical thought dominated medieval universities and arose as a need to reconcile the different traditions of knowledge that existed in medieval times.

• What does the statement “pygmies standing on the shoulders of giants” mean when applied to the intellectuals of the Middle Ages and Scholasticism?

The phrase “standing on the shoulders of giants” refers to people who make some advancement in knowledge thanks to the work of previous scholars. In this case, the addition of the word “pygmy,” which refers to very small humans, implied that Medieval advancements were very limited when compared to the advancements of the Classical period.