Analysis: The Dark Ages

The “Dark” Ages (with a splash of crimson) Documentaries on television have changed quite a lot over time. They used to be good outlets to learn about things, but now they are seen as more of comical piece of entertainment rather than an educational source. The History Channel’s documentary The Dark Ages is no exception. The documentary portrays the early middles ages as a time of death and hunger mixed with religious conflicts, also containing an abnormal amount of bright red objects in an otherwise bleak and monochromatic world. This is contrary to the readings and lectures with descriptions of historical figures and religious affiliations, but similar in its description of the amount of war and hunger in the society. The documentary discussed

In Dr. Osman’s lecture and in Life and Miracles of St. Benedict, monasteries were portrayed as places for people to escape the harsh times and live together worshipping God. In The Dark Ages, the narrator discusses how many nuns and monks would try to escape because they were forced to go there, some even going as far as scaling the walls of their convent or monastery. These holy places offered many people the escape and religious freedom that they craved, but not everyone loved the strict life that monks and nuns lived. (The Dark Ages, “Marriage of Monks and

The dark ages were a time of war and hunger, as seen in the documentary and discussed in class. This period in history is full of rulers who enjoyed murder and brutality much more than kindness and good deeds. Prime examples of these types of rulers are King Clovis I, Charles “The Hammer” Martel, and Charlemagne. All three of these rulers murdered and pillaged cities, most of the time “splitting skulls for Jesus.” In Life and Miracles of St. Benedict, St. Benedict encounters Goths who are trying to steal treasures from him and then, presumably, murder him, but stop once they discover how holy and powerful he is. (Life and Miracles of St. Benedict, p. 62) Not only was this not a safe time for citizens due to the blood thirsty “Barbarians,” but there were also famines and a shortage of food. Most people lived and worked by the seasonal harvests, so some times of the year were very difficult for them. Also, with all of the sieging going on some places went awhile without food. The documentary discusses the “fall” (should be decentralization, of course) of Rome and how people tried to buy the meat of humans just to survive during the two year siege by the “barbarians.” In Life and Miracles of St. Benedict, there is also a famine and St. Benedict has to help his townspeople survive. (Life and Miracles of St. Benedict, p. 58) The documentary accurately portrayed these