Through history, European society experienced a progression and development in regard to what was popular culture, and common ideas. As European society was developing in the Middle Ages, the common people all relatively shared a belief, and an idea of what their position in the world was. The preponderance of common citizens were religiously inclinded and focused on the afterlife as opposed to living in the current moment. The Gregorian Chants of the Middle Ages possessed qualities relating to the ideas of the time. The music was uniform and bleak and symbolilzed the collectiveness of the society. The language the chants were written in was Latin, as opposed to the vinaculare. This fact supports those attending the churches were blindly following and that the society was significantly illiterate.The societies blind following of the church and disregard for what was important in the present suppojs the idea that that era of European society was the "Dark Ages". The title, "Dark Ages", comes with a negative connotation of what that society represented. Due to the large populace that was illiterate, most people were unable to support
themselves through the benefits of education. Following the Middle Ages was the Renaissance. During the Renaissance society ideals shifted from a focus on the afterlife to a larger focus on the present. Humanism became a significant idea during the Renaissance and was spread throughout Europe. Humanist advocated the acknowledgment of human existance and living life for the here and now. During this time focus on the real and rational human form was preponderant in art and studied in science. Botticelli's The Birth of Venus signifies the focus on the realistic human form by not only exploiting the beauty of Venus, but also acknowledging her faults. The next era of European history was the Enlightnement. The Enlightenment possessed the most significant focus on the individual and also rationalism. Rationalism was not applied just only to the human form, but to all aspects of life. Enlightened scientists -used empericism and rational deduction, as well as observation, to study and make sense of the world around us. Voltaire, a philosophe, wrote a satirical novel by the title Candide. Candide exploited and satirically interpreted the ideas of the time and also the ideas of the government. His work emphasises the new ideas that were devloping during the Enlightenment, but also the resistance to become a uniform society. The progession of European society is blatant and can be easily observed and traced. Works relating to their individual time era help to emphasis and explain the ideas of the common people and of that society itself.
themselves through the benefits of education. Following the Middle Ages was the Renaissance. During the Renaissance society ideals shifted from a focus on the afterlife to a larger focus on the present. Humanism became a significant idea during the Renaissance and was spread throughout Europe. Humanist advocated the acknowledgment of human existance and living life for the here and now. During this time focus on the real and rational human form was preponderant in art and studied in science. Botticelli's The Birth of Venus signifies the focus on the realistic human form by not only exploiting the beauty of Venus, but also acknowledging her faults. The next era of European history was the Enlightnement. The Enlightenment possessed the most significant focus on the individual and also rationalism. Rationalism was not applied just only to the human form, but to all aspects of life. Enlightened scientists -used empericism and rational deduction, as well as observation, to study and make sense of the world around us. Voltaire, a philosophe, wrote a satirical novel by the title Candide. Candide exploited and satirically interpreted the ideas of the time and also the ideas of the government. His work emphasises the new ideas that were devloping during the Enlightenment, but also the resistance to become a uniform society. The progession of European society is blatant and can be easily observed and traced. Works relating to their individual time era help to emphasis and explain the ideas of the common people and of that society itself.