Medieval Literature
During the Middle Ages, a great emphasis was placed on the blend of fantasy and reality. Though characters were given human characteristics, their personalities transcended to those of fictitious figures (God, Saints, and revered leaders). Additionally, these stories incorporated the codes of romance and honor, reliving the ideals of chivalry in writing. Furthermore, there was a religious overtone hidden in these works. Because only monks could hand- copy these manuscripts in monasteries, only a few were made available to the rich and noble. As for the peasants, the only way to pass down these stories from generation to generation was by words of mouth.
For example, Geoffrey Chaucer (1343- 1400), the famous author of The Canterbury Tales, practiced these forms of writing in his narration of the social classes at this time. He was later known as one of the best medieval writer of all time.
Renaissance Literature
In contrast to the religion- driven aspects of literature found during Medieval times, Renaissance thinkers reverted back to the idealism of classical civilizations during A.D. 1500- 1660. Instead of focusing on the dreams of the future, Renaissance men and women were concerned with the “here and now”. During this period, feelings and emotions were key to illustrating humanism, with the story more oriented on the character rather than the adventure. In addition, Renaissance literature revolved more around having a real humanistic protagonist with a real story to tell. These basic ideals evolved from a humble place in life to a materialistic dream steeped in luxury. Moreover, with the invention of the printing press in 1440 by Johann Gutenberg, manuscripts were no longer needed to be meticulously hand- copied, and were able to be printed and delivered to the mass public inexpensively and swiftly. With more men and women educated due to the indirect results of the printing press, literature became widespread throughout Europe.
For example, John Milton (A.D. 1608- 1674), in his notorious epic poem Paradise Lost, illustrated a more humanistic and prideful Lucifer who craves power in Heaven. This represents the change in ideas from the religious Medieval literature into the secular themes of Renaissance literature.