Medieval Literature
... later became known as the Millers Tale where a student in these fields was described. During this time of truth and the search for answers to everyday life, many composers, theologists, and scientists became famous for their ideas and principals. Most of which, would evolve and modernize to create our present day world. A very famous scholar and scientist of the time was the Greek philosopher Aristotle. Involved in almost every scientific field, Aristotle was seen to be the “fountainhead” of secular knowledge (Nicole, 97). During these times, the main subject in study was astronomy. Astronomy has amazed cultures and civilizations for thousands of years. Several scientists involved in this area were William Grizaunte and John Ashenden. These famous astronomers studied solar and lunar eclipses and the movement of the planets inside our solar system (Bagley, Pg.107). Richard of Wallingford also was involved in astronomy and he invented several instruments that accurately calculated planetary alignment. In the year 1320, Wallingford constructed a revolutionary clock whose gears told many things well in advance of its time. Robert Grosseteste and Roger Bacon, who worked with Wallingford, dedicated their lives to experiments and observations in hopes of transforming scientific thinking of the time (Bagley, 107). Although many were still optimistic and unsure of the sciences, the few individuals who took the initiative to continue helped the world to become what it is today. Medieval Scholars were also heavily involved in the advancement of mechanical devices and astronomical knowledge. The devices of the time were designed more for members of the wealthy end of society mainly due to the monetary restriction imposed on the lower classes. They were considered toys for the rich but most of the designs and innovations helped to build some truly amazing things that would only further advance our technological knowledge (Nicole, Pg 97). The widespread belief during the time was that only 4 elements comprised the earth. Earth, wind, fire, and air (Bagley, Pg 114). This concept seems primordial to our modern society but to them, there was nothing else to consider. The Middle Ages brought about many advances in chemistry and physics beginning the largest revolutionary period in history. Countless inventions, ideas, and theories originated during this time. One of the most controversial subjects of the middle Ages was the formation and layout of the universe. Most believed that the earth was the center of all life and others sought a new idea. Proposed by Galileo, the radical idea is that the earth is just a small part of an extremely complex system of planets and stars. This ideas was so radical that it almost brought about Galileo’s excommunication from the church and ultimately his death. But as time went on, his idea became more and more common among the scientific world (Bagley, Pg.112). This led to the construction of the first model of the Universe. Comprised of 9 hollow spheres, this model showed just how vast our universe is. Little did they know, their discovery was microscopic compared to our modern day knowledge. During this time, many other discoveries came about regarding the astronomy field. Scientists quickly found that the earth is a spherical shape rather than the flat world believed for hundreds of years (Bagley, Pg.113). Moon phases and eclipses were studied and analyzed as well. One of the most famous astronomical instruments during the Middle Ages was the astrolabe. The Astrolabe was in a sense comparable to a modern day compass. It calculated day, year, moon phase, and planetary alignment. This highly advanced tool greatly expanded the reaches of astronomy (Bagley, Pg110). Aside from the great achievements in astronomy, the scientific world flourished in many new concepts, tools, and gadgets. Bridges, Cathedrals, and even mines were constructed using these new found devices and over time, they’ve come to create an enviable record. Europeans of the time seemed to have a child-like attitude towards the advancement of medieval science because of their enthusiasm and fear of the subject expressed in their ideas (Nicole, Pg 97). During these hard times, many inventions and ideas that our modern day society takes for granted, were created. Also during these times, different numeric systems were used. For example, a bushel was eight gallons and a barrel was 30 – 32 gallons. A butt was two hogshead and a Ell was four feet (Kenvon, Pg.76). Almost all of the devices we use today for complex and simple tasks originated or can be traced back to the Medieval Time period. They include many things such as advances in the fields of optics, building construction, and milling (Loyn, Pg.294). Soil maintenance, harnessing of plough-beasts, and finding healing properties of plants brought enormous amounts of information and standards to the scientific world (Loyn, Pg.294). One of the major scientific contributions of the middle Ages was the art of Iron working. Iron working can be traced to as early as 2500 B.C. Because of new concepts in chemistry, the medieval ages brought new techniques and arts to this ever-growing field (Gans, Pg. 1). Due to the fact that the furnaces of the time produced and insufficient amount of heat to ma...