Comparative Civilizations 12
Unit 2 -The Middle Ages
Part 2 - A Frozen World (ca. 400 AD - ca. 1000 AD)
“It is true that, after the disappearance of the civilization of
Antiquity, mankind seemed to slip back towards its
barbarous past yet, on the ruins of that once glorious world,
a new civilization slowly but surely came into being - one
which was able to draw on a wealth of new forces, such as
Christianity and the institutions, customs, spirit and ideas of
the new races which had replaced the power of ancient
Rome, combined with the many traditions of Antiquity which
had managed to survive its final collapse.”
Suzanne Comte (translated from French by David Macrae)
“Difficulty of empathy, of genuinely entering into the mental
and emotional values of the Middle Ages is the final
obstacle. The main barrier is, I believe, the Christian religion
as it was then ...Its insistent principle that the life of the spirit
and of the afterworld was superior to the here and now, to
material life on earth, is one that the modern world does not
share, no matter how devout some present-day Christians
may be. The rupture of this principle and its replacement by
belief in the worth of the individual and of an active life not
necessarily focused on God is, in fact, what created the
modern world and ended the Middle Ages.
Barbara W. Tuchman
Resources:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.





The Creative Impulse by Dennis Sporre, pp. 152-218.
Civilisation by Sir Kenneth Clark, pp. 1-32.
Patterns of Civilization by Burton Beers, pp. 12-16 and 41-56.
Library Sources.
Internet Sources:
Excellent documents at the Medieval Sourcebook: http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/sbook.html
More Medieval materials at http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/medweb/
A superb reference source is The Labyrinth at http://labyrinth.georgetown.edu/
Medieval literature can be found at the Medieval and Classical Library at http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/OMACL
Read the Beowulf text at http://www.georgetown.edu/faculty/irvinem/english016/beowulf/beowulf.html
Read the Song of Roland at http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/OMACL/Roland/
Media:
1. Civilisation; A Frozen World. **Note: The filmstrip series that we are using
summarizes material from Clark’s book and a video series that is available at local libraries. Those
with time should consider watching these as well.
2. Episode 17 of The Western Tradition. The Dark Ages episode. Access this on the Internet at
http://www.learner.org/resources/series58.html#
1
Comparative Civilizations 12
Suggested Time:
Four periods.
Evaluation:
Introduction 5; Research 10; Art Analysis 10; Floorplan & Interior section or view 5. Total: 35
Activities:
These should be handled as in previous sections. Content in this section is based primarily on the filmstrip,
which summarizes the material in Clark’s first chapter of Civilization. Additional activities require that you
refer to the indicated pages in Sporre and related library sources.
Introduction:
1.
2.
Who were the barbarians? How did they come to dominate Western Europe?
What role did the Christian Church play in preserving knowledge and learning in early Medieval
Europe?
Watch the filmstrip and answer the following questions while doing so.
Discuss your answers with classmates before writing your final responses.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Why does Sir Kenneth Clark suggest that Greek and Roman art, such as the APOLLO BELVEDERE,
is superior to the art produced by the barbarian tribes?
According to Clark, what brought the collapse of the Roman Empire?
What effect did the barbarian conquest have on the classical world?
Where did spiritual and cultural leadership come from between the 6th & 8th centuries?
Early in the filmstrip, John Ruskin is quoted: “Great nations write their autobiographies in three
manuscripts: the book of their deeds, the book of their words, and the book of their art. Not one of
these books can be understood unless we read the two others, but of the three, the only trustworthy one
is the last.” What does Ruskin mean and is this so?
Research: (Refer to Sporre, pp. 187-201 and library sources)
1.
2.
3.
4.
6.
7.
8.
How did the art of the barbarians differ from the classical art of the Greeks and Romans? Refer to
forms, styles and content. Be sure to refer to Celtic design in answering this question.
Complete an art work analysis sheet for the GERO CRUCIFIX (Sporre, p. 190 or Clark, bw picture
No. 203.
Who was Saint Jerome (Sporre, p. 192) and what is his contribution to Western Literature?
Read a selection from either BEOWULF or THE SONG OF ROLAND (Sporre pp. 192-194). How
are the characters portrayed? How might troubadours (also known as minnesanger or trouveres) have
presented such works to a Medieval audience?
What is Charlemagne’s church (Sporre, p. 198 & 207-208, Clark, pp. 22-23) at Aachen (Aix-laChapelle) modeled on? Describe its appearance.
Draw or trace a floorplan and an interior section or interior view of this church.
What was the Carolingian Renaissance (Sporre, 202-209 and Clark, 18-24) and what was its
outstanding achievements? Why did it not last very long?
2