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A 12Th Century Renaissance

Renaissance is defined as "the activity, spirit, or time of great revival of art, literature, and learning." Was there a twelfth-century renaissance? This is a question that still beckons an answer, and is often a topic of debate among modern historians. By definition, one can break it down: Was there a spirit of revival of a classical theme regarding the subjects mentioned above? Surely there was, and with author R.N. Swanson's "The Twelfth-century Renaissance" as a guide, we can investigate just what that revival involved, broken into the subjects of interest. It is often hard to disassociate the word "renaissance" from the 14th-17th centuries, and names like Leonardo Da Vinci and Michelangelo often spring to mind. However, we shouldn't base one renaissance solely on another. You can't have cities without first forming towns, and it is important to remember that the 12th century can be viewed as a precursor to the common era idea of renaissance, having a great significance all its own. Ranging from education, to law, to philosophy, the forwarding of ideas during this time definitely deserve the right to be called a renaissance, as they were a monumental step towards forwarding human thinking and living.
On human thinking, the educational structures that developed and progressed through this time are important. "Before 1100, the scholarly system was characterized by the existence of a dual pattern of monastic and cathedral schools" (Swanson 13). Popular was "'a handing' on – of both the way of life and its intellectual inheritance" (Swanson 13). This acknowledges the staleness of both life and education before the 12th century, thus being why the era is sometimes referred to as "the Dark Ages." With the changing of religious based ideas and obligations throughout this time, schools evolved, and even higher institutions began to form, a precursor to modern day universities. Swanson tells us that "Hints of change in the traditional northern pattern of education...