Transcript Slide 1

Learning Objectives
• To learn what brought about the changes from the
Anglo-Saxon period to the Medieval Period.
• To discover what language changes occurred
because of these events.
• To become familiar with the major literary works of
the period and their cultural importance.
• To develop an understanding for how the structure
of medieval society shapes its literature.
• To analyze major themes and motifs of medieval
literature.
A Brief History… and Kings.
• Duke William II of
Normandy invades
England and wins
the Battle of
Hastings in 1066,
defeating English
King Harold II.
• William becomes
King William I of
England.
A Brief History… and Kings.
• French, or Anglo-Norman, became
the official language at court and
among the aristocracy.
• Latin was still the official language of
the church and the schools.
• English, or Middle-English, was a
variable and dynamic language
spoken among the lower working
classes.
Medieval Monarchy and Genealogy
House of Normandy
House of Blois
House of Plantagenet
House of Lancaster
House of York
House of Tudor
•William I (the Conqueror)
•William II (died early)
•Henry I
•Maude (Matilda) (briefly, throne stolen by Stephen)
•Stephen I
•Henry II (had Thomas Becket killed, otherwise good king)
•Richard I (Lionhearted) (of Robin Hood fame)
• John I (his brother, Magna Carta)
•Henry III
•Edward I (Longshanks) (of Braveheart fame!)
•Edward II (idiot – Marlowe writes about him)
•Edward III (begins 100 Years’ War)
•Richard II (weak, abdicates - Shakespeare writes about him)
•Henry IV (Henry Bolingbroke) takes power from Richard
•Henry V (Shakespeare writes about him… “We few, we happy
few, we band of brothers” begins new era in the 100 Years’ War
at Battle of Agincourt)
•Henry VI (weak)
•Edward VI (deposed… unpopular), Edward V, only 13, killed
•Richard III (famous Shakespearean hunchback “a horse! My
kingdom for a horse!”) Probably killed Henry VI
•Henry VII – Tudor Dynasty Begins, ends War of Roses
Saint Thomas Becket: 1118-1170
• Archbishop of Canterbury Cathedral
• Frenemy of Henry II
– Given job as Archbishop out of
cronyism. Actually took the job
seriously.
• “Will no one rid me of this turbulent
priest?” – Henry II
• Murdered in 1170 by King Henry II’s
knights “without” his orders.
• The saint the pilgrims are going to
see in Canterbury Tales
Saladin: 1138-1193
•Famous Muslim leader who
opposed the Christians during
the Crusades.
•He led the Muslims against the
Crusaders and eventually
recaptured Jerusalem in 1187.
•His chivalrous behavior was
noted by Christian chroniclers,
despite being the nemesis of the
Crusaders. He won the respect
of many Christains, including
Richard the Lionheart.
Eastern Exposure
• Exposure to Arabic cultures during
the Crusades introduced many
new ideas to Europe:
– Algebra, Geometry, and
Trigonometry
– Chemistry, Astronomy, and
Physics
– Medicine / Medical
Knowledge
– Re-introduction to lost
Classical texts (Aristotle, etc.)
– Architecture – the gothic style
100 Years’ War: 1337-1453
• In 1328, the Capetian dynasty in France
came to an end with the death of Charles
IV, the son of Philip the Fair. An assembly
of French barons gave the crown to Philip
VI of Valois, the nephew of Philip the Fair.
• Edward III, king of England, asserted that
he in fact had a superior claimed to the
throne because his mother was Philip the
Fair's daughter. There was some question
about her legitimacy, though.
• The war, fought entirely on French soil,
raged off and on for more than 100 years.
English victories were followed by French
victories, then a period of stalemate would
ensue, until the conflicts again rose to the
surface.
Edward III of England
100 Years’ War: 1337-1453
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After the battle of Agincourt in 1415, the English
controlled most of northern France. It appeared
that England would shortly conquer France and
unite the two countries under one crown.
At this crucial moment in French history, a
young and illiterate peasant girl, Joan of Arc
(c.1412-1431), helped to rescue France.
The Wars of the Roses left England in no
position to wage war in France and so the
Hundred Years’ War ended in 1453.
Calais remained in English possession until 1558
and the title of King of France was claimed by
the British until January 1, 1801.
The high number of sieges in the Hundred Years’
War led to the development of technology with
new siege engines and the use of the longbow
as an English weapon - the power of the
mounted knights came to an end.
The Peasants’ Revolt: Wat Tyler’s Rebellion
• 1381: Unpopular poll tax to pay for foreign
wars has English peasants in uproar
• Wat Tyler, John Ball, and Jack Straw gather
a force of 50,000 men and take Canterbury
and London
• Peasants were recognizing new freedoms
and rights as they could demand higher
wages due to labor shortages caused by
the Black Plague.
• Richard II meets with Wat Tyler to hear his
demands, but Tyler is killed by the Lord
Mayor because he was rude to the King.
• Increased awareness in the upper classes
of the need for the reform of feudalism in
England and the appalling misery felt by
the lower classes as a result of their
enforced slavery.
"When Adam delved and Eve
span, who was then the
gentleman?"
The War of the Roses: 1455-1485
• Henry of Bolingbroke, a Lancaster,
son of John of Gaunt, seized the
throne of England from his cousin
Richard II in 1399.
• Richard futilely attempted to save
his life by “abdicating.” Accounts
vary, but apparently Richard
starved to death in a dungeon.
• Henry then became Henry IV, but
descendants from the Yorkist side
of the family (who had a better
claim to the title) objected– for
the next three generations
Lancaster
York
The End of the War of the Roses:
The Battle of Bosworth Field
• 1485: Henry Tudor challenges
Richard III at Bosworth Field.
• Richard is killed at the battle
and the ruling house changes
to Tudor.
• Henry marries Elizabeth of York
to legitimize claim.
• Last king to claim throne
through battle.
• The Medieval Period ends, and
the Renaissance is ushered in.
Tudor
Important Documents of the
Middle Ages: The Domesday Book
Often called Doomsday Book– William the
Conqueror had everyone’s personal property
catalogued so he could tax it.
Important Documents of the
Middle Ages: The Magna Carta
• 1215 AD
• Required King John of
England to proclaim certain
liberties, and accept that his
will was not arbitrary.
• For example, no "freeman"
(non-serf) could be punished
except through the law of the
land
• Many of these premises are
still in existence in English
law today.
Literature of the Middle Ages
William Langland (c. 1330-1387)
The Vision of William Concerning Piers the Plowman
(1362, A text)
An allegorical dream vision poem divided into three parts,
each with a different vision. It is both a social satire, a satire
upon the Catholic church, and a call to live a pious and
humble life.
"I have no penny," quoth Piers, "Pullets for to buy
No neither geese nor piglets, but two green [new] cheeses,
A few curds and cream and an oaten cake
And two loaves of beans and bran to bake for my little ones.
And besides I say by my soul I have no salt bacon,
Nor no little eggs, by Christ, collops for to make.
But I have parsley and leeks and many cabbages,
And besides a cow and a calf and a cart mare
To draw afield my dung the while the drought lasteth.
And by this livelihood we must live till lammas time [August].
And by that I hope to have harvest in my croft.
And then may I prepare the dinner as I dearly like.
All the poor people those peascods fatten.
Neans and baked apples they brought in their laps.
Shalots and chervils and ripe cherries many
And proffered pears these present... “
Literature of the Middle Ages
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (1375)
Written by the unknown “Pearl poet,” who also wrote
the allegorical dream-vision poem, “Pearl.”
Arthurian Romance in Alliterative Verse - Involves Sir Gawain’s
quest to confront the Green Knight, who has disrupted Arthur’s
court. The Green Knight represents pagan fertility against
Gawain’s Christian chastity. A church
reaction against “courtly love.”
“Forþi an aunter in erde I attle to schawe,
Þat a selly in siȝt summe men hit holden,
And an outtrage awenture of Arthurez wonderez.
If ȝe wyl lysten þis laye bot on littel quile,
I schal telle hit as-tit, as I in toun herde,
with tonge,
As hit is stad and stoken
In stori stif and stronge,
With lel letteres loken,
In londe so hatz ben longe.”
Literature of the Middle Ages
Geoffrey Chaucer (c. 1343-1400)
The Canterbury Tales (1380s)
24 tales and a framing prologue that sets up the
fiction of pilgrims meeting at a tavern as they begin
their pilgrimage to the shrine of St. Thomas a Becket
in Canterbury. Serves to show a cross section of Medieval
English society from the poor to the noble class.
“Whan that aprill with his shoures soote
The droghte of march hath perced to the roote,
And bathed every veyne in swich licour
Of which vertu engendred is the flour;
Whan zephirus eek with his sweete breeth
Inspired hath in every holt and heeth
Tendre croppes, and the yonge sonne
Hath in the ram his halve cours yronne,
And smale foweles maken melodye,
That slepen al the nyght with open ye
(so priketh hem nature in hir corages);
Thanne longen folk to goon on pilgrimages “
Canterbury Tales and
Middle English
Whan that aprill with his shoures soote
The droghte of march hath perced to the roote,
And bathed every veyne in swich licour
Of which vertu engendred is the flour;
Whan Zephirus eek with his sweete breeth
Inspired hath in every holt and heeth
The tendre croppes, and the yonge sonne
Hath in the ram his half cours yronne,
And smale foweles maken melodye,
That slepen al the nyght with open ye
(so priketh hem nature in hir corages);
Thanne longen folk to goon on pilgrimages,
And palmeres for to seken straunge strondes,
To ferne halwes, kowthe in sondry londes;
And specially from every shires ende
Of Engelond to Caunterbury they wende,
The holy blisful martir for to seke,
That hem hath holpen whan that they were seeke.
Literature of the Middle Ages
Sir Thomas Malory (1405-1471)
Le Morte d’Arthur (1485)
Popular rendition printed by William Caxton of the story of King
Arthur and his knights. Church influence on ideas of chivalry and
courtly love - shows a negative side to courtly love with the
adulterous relationship between Guinevere and Lancelot.
Emphasis on purity, chastity. Malory did not compose these
tales—he just translated and collected them from 13th century
French romances.
“HIt befel in the dayes of Vther pendragon when
he was kynge of all Englond / and so regned that
there was a myȝty duke in Cornewaill that helde
warre ageynst hym long tyme / And the duke was
called the duke of Tyntagil / and so by meanes
kynge Vther send for this duk / chargyng hym to
brynge his wyf with hym / for she was called a fair
lady / and a passynge wyse / and her name was
called Igrayne”
Literature of the Middle Ages
Medieval Ballads
13th and 14th centuries
Songs depicting murderous acts, tragedies, heroic deeds, jealous
sweethearts, and unrequited love. Sung to a strong, simple beat,
containing a refrain. Examples include “Sir Patrick Spens,”
“Barbara Allen,” “Get Up and Bar the Door,” and “Twa Corbies.”
“Downe in yonder greene field,
There lies a Knight slain under his shield,
His hounds they lie downe at his feete,
So well they can their Master keepe,
His Hawkes they flie so eagerly,
There's no fowle dare him come nie
Downe there comes a fallow Doe,
As great with yong as she might goe,
She lift up his bloudy head,
And kist his wounds that were so red,
She got him up upon her backe,
And carried him to earthen lake,
She buried him before the prime,
She was dead her self ere euen-song time.
God send euery gentleman,
Such haukes, such hounds, and such a Leman.”
- from “Twa Corbies”
Literature of the Middle Ages
Morality and Mystery Plays
Mystery Plays – a series of shows, typically performed in
villages by the local guild members once a year, that
depicted the events of the Bible from Creation to Judgment
on movable wagons. (Older)
Morality Plays – a development out of the mystery play,
morality plays are largely allegorical works that depict a
protagonist who meets different personified vices and
virtues who all try to get him to live either a sinful or
stainless lifestyle. (Newer)
From Everyman:
“Here begynneth a treatyse how the hye
Fader of heuen sendeth Dethe to
somon euery creature to come and
gyue a-counte of theyr lyues in
this worlde and is in maner
of a morall playe”
Literature of the Middle Ages
English Women’s Literature
Julian of Norwich (1342-1416) – an anchorite nun who wrote
Revelations of Divine Love. Believed to be the first published
book in the English language written by a woman. Written in
Middle English, the book accounts for her understanding of
16 revelations she received during a vision while ill.
“In my folly, afore this time often I wondered why
by the great foreseeing wisdom of God the
beginning of sin was not letted: for then,
methought, all should have been well. This stirring
was much to be forsaken, but nevertheless
mourning and sorrow I made therefore, without
reason and discretion.
But Jesus, who in this Vision informed me of all
that is needful to me, answered by this word and
said: It behoved that there should be sin; but all
shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner
of thing shall be well.”
- From Revelations of Divine Love
Literature of the Middle Ages
English Women’s Literature
Margery Kempe (1373-1438) – a noblewoman who wrote The
Book of Margery Kempe. Considered to be the first
autobiography by a woman in English. Chronicles her early
married life, religious revelations, pilgrimages, and religious
and civil persecutions.
“Here begynnyth a schort tretys and a
comfortabyl for synful wrecchys,
wherin thei may have gret solas and
comfort to hem and undyrstondyn the
hy and unspecabyl mercy of ower
sovereyn Savyowr Cryst Jhesu, whos
name be worschepd and magnyfyed
wythowten ende, that now in ower
days to us unworthy deyneth to
exercysen hys nobeley and hys
goodnesse. “
– from The Book of Margery Kempe
Non-English Works to Know
• Song of Roland – epic poem about Roland, a knight
of King Charlemagne of France and his adventures
fighting the Saracens. (Mid-1100s)
• The Divine Comedy – Dante Alighieri – epic poem in
which Virgil acts as Dante’s guide to Heaven, Hell,
and Purgatory. Allegorical tale that serves as a
model of the medieval world-view. (1321)
• The Decameron – Giovanni Boccaccio – frame tale the work upon which Chaucer based his Canterbury
Tales. Stories told by people escaping the plague in
Florence. (1353)
Characteristics of Medieval Literature
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Heroism
– from both Germanic and
Christian traditions, sometimes
mingled
• Beowulf
• Sir Gawain and the Green
Knight
Presentations of idealized behavior
– literature as moral lesson
• loyalty to king
• chivalry
use of alliteration
– The Alliterative Revival
– A re-hashing of Anglo-Saxon
literary techniques.
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•
Romance
– Sir Gawain and the Green
Knight
– A narrative in prose or verse
that tells of the adventures and
heroic exploits of chivalric
heroes
• exploits of knights
• often a supernatural
element involved
Christian message
– concern with salvation and the
world to come
– no interest in social change
• until the late 14th century
• Chaucer signals new
thinking, up-ending social
order
The Medieval Romance
Can be broadly categorized as
dealing with three types of
historical material:
A. Rome (classical legends)
B. France (often tales of
Charlemagne and his
nights)
C. Britain (Arthurian
stories/tales dealing with
knightly heroes)
• Typically, a romance tells the
story of one quest
undertaken by one knight
• The setting is a timeless fairytale world; there is no "rise
and fall" of Arthur's empire
• Many of these romances
concern the role of love
(courtly or otherwise) in
human existence
• Frequently, the knight has
some difficulty in working
out an appropriate balance
between love and chivalry
Literary Terms to Know…
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Rhyme Royal
Allegory
Alliteration
Breton Lai
Mystery Play
Morality Play
Fableaux
Bildungsroman
Ballad
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Romance
Frame Narrative/Tale
Bob and Wheel
Characterization
Parable
Fable
Allusion
Feudalism
Pilgrimages
The Great Chain of Being and the
Ptolemaic Universe
The Four Humors
The Wheel of Fortune
Courtly Love
Chivalry
The Black Plague