MedievalPeriod PowerPoint

8/10/2019 MedievalPeriod PowerPoint

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English Literature

The Medieval Period(Old English and Middle English)


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England before the English

When the Romans arrived, theyfound the land inhabited byBritons.

known as the Celts Stonehenge

no written language absorbed into the Latinspeaking Roman society

Romans withdraw, leaving theBritons/Celts behind

Invasions from the Northern Europe Anglo-Saxon bring Germanic

languages


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By 600, Anglo-Saxonsconquer the Britons

language becomes moreGermanic

still retains some Latin

The Anglo-Saxons twourgings--war andwanderingbecome partof the oral tradition

Beowulfis an example of

an Anglo-Saxon hero tale

Beowulf battles Grendels mother


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By 700, Christianmissionaries arrive toconvert the pagans

Latin(the language of

the Church) returns King Alfred

the Britons becomeorganized

first true king of theBritons

period of prosperity King Alfred brings an age of prosperity


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In 1066, the Normans (French speaking people fromNormandy), led by William the Conquerorattack and defeat

the Britains (a blend of the Britons and Anglo-Saxons) at theBattle of Hastings

the 3rd language is introduced--French

French culture and French literature arrives


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Welcome to England and the Englishan island of peoples, languages, and divisions...

Latin-- church, schoolsFrench-- court, castle

English-- commoners

The White Tower in London

part of Williams legacyChartres Cathedral


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What was it like to live

in the Middle Ages?


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The 3 Estates in the Middle Ages

The idea of estates, or orders, was

encouraged during the Age, but

this ordering was breaking down.

Clergy

Latin chiefly spoken, those who pray,

purpose was to save everyones soul Nobles

French chiefly spoken, those who

fight,purposewas to protectallow

for all to work in peaceand provide

justice

Commoners

English spoken, those who work,

purpose was to feed and clothe all

above them
http://wwnorton.com/nael/nto/middle/estates/imestates.htm


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feudalism The economic system of much of the

Middle Ages(800-1100)

Commoners (peasants) lived on a

feudal manor. The lord of the manor

gave his vassals (the peasants) land to

farm.

In return, the vassals receivedprotection from roving bandits. Yet

they were taxed and had to surrender a

portion of their crops to the lord.

it was better to be a lord than a

vassal!

Feudalism is important as it created

ties of obedience and fostered a

sense of loyaltybetween the vassals

and their lord.

A tenant (vassal) renews his oath of fealtyto his lord


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Chivalry A product of feudalism,

chivalry was an idealized

system of manners and

morals Restricted to nobility

The Medieval knight was

bound to the chivalric code to

be loyal to God

his lord

his lady

Chivalric ideals include... benevolence

brotherly love

politeness

Sir Gawainis an example


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The High Middle Ages(begin 1095)

Begin with the First Crusade (1095)--reclaim

Jerusalem from the infidels

Open trade routesPeasants (the vassals) are liberated from their

lords to fight, and die, in the Holy Lands

Cities spring up along the crusade routes

Feudalism dies out

the transition to the Renaissance begins


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The High Middle Ages

Before, in the Dark

Ages, the Church

provided structure to

society, not only with

religion, but by

providing education,

as well.

Sadly, with the

Crusades, the Churchbecomes incrediblycorrupt.

Popes fight forpolitical power

Greed is rampant selling of indulgences

Crusades for $

look for this in theTales


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With the Crusades comes

The Black Death

spreads along trade routes

kills much of the population

the plague outbreaks occur

through the Middle Ages andinto the Renaissance

Paradoxically, the Plague provides

for continued growth in cities

Afterwards, hundreds of new jobs

available

Many debts died off with

creditors

also contributed to societys culture


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Literature During the

Medieval Period


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Languages

Latin was the language of the Roman

Catholic Church, which dominated Europe

The Church was the only source ofeducation

Thus, Latin was a common language for

Medieval writings.


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Types of Literature

Troubadour Poetry (Bernart de Ventadorn) Arthurian Legends

Epic Romances/Quests (Dante Alighieri, Sir Gawain) Courtly Love

Religious Poetry (Julian of Norwich)

Fabliaux (Geoffrey Chaucer)

Sonnets (Petrarch)

Sestinas (Arnaut Daniel)


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Characteristics of Medieval Literature

Heroismfrom both Germanic and Christian traditions,

sometimes mingled Beowulf

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Presentations of idealized behaviorliterature as moral lesson

loyalty to king

chivalry

use of kennings(especially inBeowulf)Hyphenated expression, representing a single noun.

For example, the epicBeowulfuses the two-wordterm whale-roadto refer to the sea or ocean.


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The I deal of Courtly Love

This relationship was modeled on thefeudal relationship between a knight andhis liege lord.

The knight serves his courtly lady withthe same obedience and loyalty which heowes to his liege lord.

She is in complete control; he owes herobedience and submission


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The knight's love for the lady inspires

him to do great deeds, in order to beworthy of her love or to win her favor.


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Courtly love" was not between husbandand wifebecause it was an idealized sort ofrelationship that could not exist within the

context of "real life" medieval marriages.

In the middle ages, marriages amongst thenobility were typically based on practical

and dynastic concerns rather than on love.


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The lady is typically older, married, andof higher social status than the knight

because she was modeled on the wife ofthe feudal lord, who might naturally

become the focus of the young,unmarried knights' desire.


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The literary model of courtly lovemay have been invented to

provide young men with a modelfor appropriate behavior.

It taught them to sublimate theirdesires and to channel theirenergy into socially useful

behavior (love service rather thanwandering around the

countryside, stealing or rapingwomen.


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The "symptoms" of love were describedas as if it were a sickness.

The "lovesick" knights typicalsymptoms: sighing, turning pale,

turning red, fever, inability to sleep,

eat or drink.


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The Quest

In addition to the theme of Courtly

Love, the Quest was highly important:

the code of conduct observed by aknight errant who is wandering in

search of deeds of chivalry. This

knight is bound by a code of behavior -a set of conventional principles and

expectations


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Characteristics of Medieval Literature

RomanceSir Gawain and the Green Knight

A narrative in prose or verse that tells of theadventures and heroic exploits of chivalric heroes

exploits of knights

often a supernatural element involved

Christian message

concern with salvation and the world to comeno interest in social change

until the late 14th century

Chaucer signals new thinking, up-ending social order

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