The "awakening" of the Renaissance came after the dawn of a new Roman Empire way of thinking.. ... Many pre Renaissance and Renaissance individuals felt torn between the pious teachings of the church and the earthly pleasures which wealth and independence brought. ... He is often referred to as "the Father of the Renaissance." ... He is seen as the writer who most clearly had one foot in the Middle Ages and the other in the Renaissance. ... This type of critical analysis shows that Petrarch had crossed a bridge into Renaissance thinking. ...

• Word Count: 2254
• Approx Pages: 9
• Grade Level: High School