Transcript The Middle Ages - Willis High School
The Middle Ages
England: 1066-1500
William the Conqueror
The Battle of Hastings The Bayeux Tapestry How does English life change?
The Feudal System
The Rise of Feudalism Feudal Life The manor consisted of the castle, church, village, and surrounding farmland.
Think about the chess board… How does it represent feudal life?
Pawn Queen Serfs / peasants Limited forward / 2 first move, 1 there after Rook King 2 Bishop Knight Protect royalty
“Power and prestige of the noble class based on land (the fief), which supported the lord, his family, and his soldiers. Landed estate organized as manors; each a self-supporting economic unit; the lord provided the land and protection; serfs provided the labor.”
The Feudal System
The Distribution of Power
• King • • • Lords, barons, and vassals Knights Serfs, villains, and peasants
Where do WOMEN fit?!
The Feudal System The Magna Carta 1100 CE—Some barons had too much wealth and could be a serious threat to the king.
Result? Increased pressure by the king upon the barons for funds. Refusal meant imprisonment and even death… 1215 CE—English barons force King John to sign the Magna Carta, which limited the king’s powers of taxation and required trials before punishment.
This is the first time an English monarch came under the control of the law!
Religion
The Catholic Church was the only church in Europe, and it had its own hierarchy, code of laws, and coffers.
Hierarchy
Pope Bishops Parish Priests Monks and Nuns
Pilgrimages Cathedrals
Homes
Nobility Structure
Rooms Roof Floors Windows
Kitchen
Pantry
Peasantry Structure
Rooms Roof Floors Windows
Kitchen
Pantry
Most homes were cold and damp and had very small windows for security purposes.
Clothing
Peasantry
Outer clothes were almost never laundered and smelled of smoke, but linen undergarments were washed regularly.
Nobility
Clothing is fashionable with brighter colors, better materials, and longer jackets.
Clergy
Clothing consisted of woolen habits dyed particular colors to designate religious orders.
Most wore woolen outer garments with linen undergarments.
Other Aspects of Medieval Life
Health
Treatments Mainly herbal No antibiotics Disease Relief The Humors 4 humors 4 elements 4 body fluids Bloodletting
Arts & Entertainment
Originated in church Drama grows out of the liturgy.
Town Life
New towns New class of people First companies
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
By the Pearl Poet
SGGK: Background & Style
SGGK Streaming Video Original manuscript of this poem is unique – only ONE (never was well-known – hardly read at all between 1400 and 1839) Written in a style very similar to Beowulf Heavy 4 beat line Alliteration Rhyme Native English vocab. – from area of Midlands – south of Chester – near modern-day Liverpool. Dialect is very difficult for us today and probably was very difficult for Londoners of that day. (Obscurity of dialect helped keep poem unknown)
SGGK: Background & Style
Poem shows religious tendencies – we assume that the Pearl Poet was a cleric – specific name of author is unknown It is believed that the poem was written sometime between 1375 and 1400 Description of armor, clothing, and furniture – 1375 Handwriting has been dated roughly to 1400 Written in a unique stanza called “bob and wheel” – combines alliteration and rhyme
SGGK: Matter & Form
Romance (Medieval) 3 Subjects or “Matters” 1.
2.
3.
The Matter of Greece (Troy and Alexander) The Matter of France (Charlemagne’s Court and 12 peers – 12 disciples or primitive round-table) The Matter of Britain (Arthurian Legends) Form 1.
2.
3.
Themes (love issue) – quest – involves travels (social integrity; personal worth; knowledge) Plot – intricate (carefully worded or rambling) Characterization – flat; stereotyped
SGGK: Matter & Form Epic
Examples: Illiad, Beowulf, Aneid, El Cid, &
Paradise Lost
Scope: Social Motive: Necessity Themes: 1. Emphasis on war/ male friendship 2. Realistic 3. Historical/concrete geography Focus: Morals Mode: Literal because already addressing universal social issues
Romance
Examples: Morte d’Arthur & The Odyssey Scope: Individualistic (one person’s crisis) Motive: Desire for adventure or for personal gratification Themes: 1. Heterosexual love/women 2. Supernatural elements/mysterious atmosphere 3. Fantasy/vague atmosphere Focus: Manners Mode: Symbolic (Light on message, heavy on art)
SGGK: Matter & Form
Sir Gawain and the Green
Knight has a sense of irony that most romances don’t have - heavily moral in end. Could be called an ironic romance (More serious) Circular structure is hallmark of late 14 th century literature Key theme of medieval romances - attention to limitations of code of chivalry
SGGK: Green Men
Wild men of the woods; represents natural man vs. “made-up” men of upper level Vegetation god – die and come back to life each year – like vegetation Natural forces Kingdom of Troy (Faeries/Longaevi) – they’re eternal and have no souls (Faeries were larger than people and terrible practical jokers; unpredictable; shape shifters – can appear in diff. forms)
SGGK: Medieval Institutions
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is the product of 3 medieval institutions or foundations:
Feudalism
Poem is about 200 yrs. archaic, deliberately – golden age of chivalry, now (the date of the poem’s composition) in the state of decay – Gawain exemplifies both ideals of knighthood 1.
Physical ideals of knighthood 2.
Non-physical ideals of knighthood
SGGK: Medieval Institutions
Courtly Love
Developed partly out of the cult of Mary, which elevated women
Rules of Courtly Love
Marriage is no real excuse for not loving. He who is not jealous cannot love. That which a lover takes against the will of his beloved has no relish. Boys do not love until they reach the age of maturity. Love is always a stranger in the home of avarice. A true lover does not desire to embrace in love anyone except his beloved. When made public love rarely endures. The easy attainment of love makes it of little value: difficulty of attainment makes it prized. Every lover regularly turns pale in the presence of his beloved. When a lover suddenly catches sight of his beloved his heart palpitates. A new love puts an old one to flight. Real jealousy always increases the feeling of love. Jealousy increases when one suspects his beloved. A true lover considers nothing good except what he thinks will please his beloved.
SGGK: Medieval Institutions
The Medieval Church
Poem is about 200 yrs. archaic, deliberately – the only religious figure is a chaplain – church organization was not yet complex – less opportunity for corruption. The Holy Grail initially was a Christian symbol created by the church in an effort to overcome the influence of courtly love – only the pure could find it .
SGGK: Intertwined Plots
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is made up of three intertwined traditional plots (all designed to test the worth of the Christian knight): The beheading contest The temptation The exchange game A knight was constantly on the quest for perfection – one should seek to imitate Christ.
The Canterbury Tales
By Geoffrey Chaucer
CT: Background & Style
Original manuscript of this poem is unique – only ONE (never was well-known – hardly read at all between 1400 and 1839) Written in a style very similar to Beowulf Heavy 4 beat line Alliteration Rhyme Native English vocab. – from area of Midlands – south of Chester – near modern-day Liverpool. Dialect is very difficult for us today and probably was very difficult for Londoners of that day. (Obscurity of dialect helped keep poem unknown)
The English Poetic Tradition
With the invasion of William in 1066, French becomes language of aristocracy.
From 1066 to late 1300s, no poetry is written in English.
Literature is written in either French or Latin Some early “English” poets include: Pearl Poet William Langland John Gower Geoffrey Chaucer
Geoffrey Chaucer: The Man
Son of a wealthy London merchant As a child, served as a page in a noble household Countess of Ulster (married to a son of King Edward III) Educated in values of aristocratic culture 1367—squire to king’s household Multilingual: English, French, Italian, etc.
1374—Controller of the Customs in London
England during Chaucer’s Lifetime
Turbulent times: Politically 1377 Richard II becomes king at age 10 1386 Richard II is nearly deposed 1389 Richard II regains power 1399 Henry Bolingbroke murders Richard and becomes King Henry IV Wars with France and the Scots Religiously John Wyclif and supporters challenge Church in terms of doctrine and immense economic power ( Protestant Reformation in 16 th century) Soci0economically 1381: Peasants’ Revolt
Geoffrey Chaucer: The Poet
One of the earliest British poets Writing is characterized by Poetic genius Psychological subtlety Humane good humor Aware of “European literary traditions” as “ongoing cultural projects” Artistic subtlety Cultural sophistical Established “an English literary tradition” and the basis for William Shakespeare Edmund Spenser John Milton
Geoffrey Chaucer: The Poet
Career as a poet can be divided into 3 periods 1.
2.
Influenced by fashionable French court poetry (through 1370) Influenced by Dante (1370-1386) 3.
Influenced by English vernacular (1386-1400)
The Canterbury Tales
Chaucer begins CT in 1386 and leaves it incomplete
The
The story is a frame tale.
Journey to
29 pilgrims meet at the Tabard Inn and decide to journey together.
Pilgrims’ Tales
Each pilgrim will tell 2 tales on the way to Canterbury & 2 tales on the way back.
Le Morte d’Arthur
By Sir Thomas Malory
Le Morte d’Arthur
: Background
Written by Sir Thomas Malory (1400-1471) Legends of Arthur—popular in western culture Most legends come from Le Morte d’Arthur, a collection of stories about Arthur Thomas Malory accused of various crimes and imprisoned in 1451 He wrote Le Morte d’Arthur while in prison.
He wrote it between 1451-1469.
Le Morte d’Arthur
: Background
First edition: 1485 (posthumous) Most complete English version of Arthurian legends.
Arthurian legends have been around since the 6 th century (oral tradition in England and France).
Is Arthur real?
Possible source: real 5 th leader or 6 th century Celtic military Any real Arthur is quite different from Malory’s Arthur.
Le Morte d’Arthur
: Background
First epic written in prose.
The plot of a medieval romance: Driven by conflict Reveal character motivation