The Medieval Era

1066 - 14856

The Norman ConquestLed by William, Duke of

Normandy, the Normans (from France) invaded in the year 1066. The King of England was killed in the Battle of Hastings, and William emerged victorious.

During the next several centuries, the Old English language and culture merged with Old French. They continued to be two separate languages, but many French words and customs were incorporated into the English way of life.

O. E. + O. Fr.

Middle English

The Feudal System

Other influences: language/learning 1454 Johann Gutenberg – the printing press 1476 William Caxton – the first English printing press

Result: literature no longer needed to be hand-copied by church scribes.

Literature of the Middle Ages the first true dramas

emerged the poet Geoffrey

Chaucer wrote The Canterbury Tales

romances portrayed the deeds of knights

balladeers sang of love and deeds of outlaws

Medieval Drama church sponsored plays as

part of religious services plays gradually moved into

the marketplace miracle plays or mystery

plays – retold stories from the Bible / lives of saints

morality plays – depicted lives of ordinary people and taught moral lessons

Romances, Lyrics, and Ballads

Medieval romances tales describing the adventures of

knights many about the Arthurian legendLyrical poetry poets often strummed lyres (a

harplike instrument) as they recited their verse

led to lyrical poetryBallads folk song that tells a story many were about the hero Robin

Hood

Geoffrey Chaucer (1343? – 1400) grew up amid the bustle of a

successful international business (his dad was a wine merchant)

he served the nobility as an administrator his position in society gave him a perfect vantage point for observing all types of people

well-respected in his own day a.k.a “the Father of English Poetry” buried in the Poet’s Corner of

Westminster Abbey

The Poet’s Corner

The Poets Corner of Westminster Abbey was established around the tomb of Chaucer. It is also the resting place for other British literary greats such as William Shakespeare and Charles Dickens.

Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales

written in Middle English frame story – a story w/in

a story shows a cross section of

medieval society, from the nobility all the way down to the degraded lower class

written in heroic couplets - a pair of rhyming lines w/ 5 stressed syllables each

Whan that aprill with his shoures sooteThe droghte of march hath perced to the roote,And bathed every veyne in swich licourOf which vertu engendred is the flour;Whan zephirus eek with his sweete breethInspired hath in every holt and heethTendre croppes, and the yonge sonneHath 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,

Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales planned as an exchange of tales among pilgrims

journeying to the shrine of martyr Thomas Becket at Canterbury, England

30 pilgrims tell 2 stories each down from London to Canterbury and 2 stories on the return trip = 60 stories down + 60 on the return = 120 stories each

Chaucer only wrote the Prologue (the frame) and 24 tales, but it is considered a complete work

Chaucer’s The Canterbury TalesThe tales are divided into different

types (genres) of stories: romances – tales of chivalry /

courtly love fabliaux - short, bawdy,

humorous stories sermons – stories of saints fables – a story that uses talking

animals & teaches a moral or lesson

Each pilgrim tells a type of tale consistent with his / her own character (for example, the Knight tells a romance, etc).

Literary Terms Direct characterization Indirect characterization Heroic couplet Ballad Folk tale Medieval romance Miracle plays Morality plays Frame story Legend

Other Terms Feudalism Baron Peasant/serf Martyr Chivalry pilgrimage