Ortega Annotated Bibliography on Dark Age

DeVry University

Outline/Proposal on Dark Ages

I. Introduction and Thesis

The Dark Ages refer to the medieval period in the studies of humanity. The general duration of the early Dark Ages is considered to be from 450-1000 century (CE). It is believed that the fall of Roman Empire brought about an age of “barbarism and religion” (Gibbon 18th CE). This era, compared to both the pre-dark ages and the post-dark ages, Renaissance, witnessed no significant scientific innovations, no great art produced, and no valiant emperors or leaders ruling the early medieval Europe (Middle Ages, n. d.). These are the major factors which led to the coining of the phrase Dark Ages by Petrarch, the great Italian scholar, in the 14th CE (Wikipedia). This proposal is about the vital role of flourishing Irish social order, in the Dark Ages, in the re-conversion of Europe to Christianity. Comment by mrectenwald: Good! Not so dark after all!

II. In the Dark Ages, when the entire Europe was reeling under barbarism, the Irish social order was flourishing. Comment by mrectenwald: Excellent topic sentences!

· The Romans had never invaded Ireland, and thus it remained unaffected by the downfall deteriorating the social order of rest of Europe (Eaton & McCaffrey, 2002).

· While the entire Europe was victimized by the Dark Ages, the Irish monks were the torch-bearers of luminous beam of civilization (O’Connor & Steves, 2014).

· In the Dark Ages, religion was one binding force that kept the hopes of people alive. While Barbarism was thriving in Europe, Ireland was flourishing under the monasteries. The Irish monks were the key men in enlivening Christianity in other parts of contemporary Europe.

III. While Christianity was losing its luster in Europe, in Ireland, it had developed into a different structural form, known as the monastic system. This system encouraged scholarships, and as a result the Irish social order flourished. Comment by mrectenwald: EXCELLENT! Your outline is a breath of fresh air! May I share this with the class anonymously?

· The widening monasteries were esteemed centers of learning, and scholarships. This led to the flourish of Irish monks, who traveled to other parts of Europe to bring back the light of Christianity, in the Dark Ages (Eaton & McCaffrey, 2002).

· Around the 9th CE, the Irish monks were prominent in almost all European courts. It was owing to these monks, that the classical literature and the Holy Scriptures survived the ruins of Roman Empire (Houdmann, 2014).

· The preservation of the classical literatures and the Holy Scriptures was one of the vital roles played by the Irish monks in re-converting Europe to Christianity. Later on this preservation was to become key factor in the advent of the Renaissance.

IV. In the late Dark Ages, the advent of Chivalric Code, gave the Europeans some respite from the barbarian society. It also rekindled their hope in religion, and brotherhood. Comment by mrectenwald: Yes, wonderful!

· The Arthurian legends were the prominent prose and poetry of the late Dark Ages. The spectacular stories of the valor and the loyalty of the knights of this era revived the God-fearing and ethical approach to life (Essential Humanities, 2013).

· Chivalric code emphasized the concepts, such as honor, courage, loyalty to one’s lord, service, and gallantry towards women. It was a moral system developed in the late Dark Ages (Newman, n. d.).

· The Chivalric code, followed by the medieval knights, later on planted the seed of modern day ethics. The moral values followed by the medieval knights are somewhat timeless in nature, and are still at the roots of our modern ethical sense.

V. On concluding note to this outline/proposal, the vital role of the Irish monks in re-converting Europe to Christianity is re-affirmed. The early Dark Ages were deprived of any significant scientific and artistic work. The late Dark Age witnessed the Arthurian legends, and the advent of the Chivalric code; which later on became the root of modern ethics. As Ireland was unaffected by the fall of Roman Empire, it continued to flourish under the monastic system. The Irish monks traveled through Europe bearing the shining torch of Christianity, and brought about the re-conversion of Europe to Christianity.

References