medieval romance - edl€¦ · elements of medieval romance ... or queens themes of love ... hold...
TRANSCRIPT
Basic Narrative Pattern
A quest, in which the hero undertakes
a dangerous journey in search of
something of value
Reflection of Society
System both of government
and of landownership.
Give oath of loyalty,
receive land.
Nobleman ruled land,
judged legal cases,
imposed taxes, and
maintained an army
Elements of Medieval Romance
Unusual or exotic setting
A near perfect hero
A test of the hero
Brave knights
An evil enemy
Battles, quests, contests, tests
Magical or supernatural elements & events
Elements of Romance
Good vs. Evil
Female figures who are usually
maidens (beautiful & in need of
rescue), mothers, or crones
High-born figures, such as kings
or queens
Themes of love, loyalty, faith,
courage in a blend of realism
and fantasy
Courtly Love & Knightly Adventure
From The Art of Courtly Love by Andreas Capellanus
He who is not
jealous cannot
love.
Boys do not love
until they reach the
age of maturity.
When one lover
dies, a widowhood
of two years is
required of the
survivor
Some Rules of Courtly Love
Courtly Love & Knightly Adventure
Some Rules of Courtly Love Con’t . . .
From The Art of Courtly Love by Andreas Capellanus
It is not proper to love any
woman whom one would be
ashamed to seek to marry.
A true lover does not desire to
embrace in love anyone
except his beloved.
The easy attainment of love
makes it of little value:
difficulty of attainment makes it
prized.
Courtly Love & Knightly Adventure
Some Rules of Courtly Love Con’t . . .
From The Art of Courtly Love by Andreas Capellanus
When made public
love rarely endures.
A new love puts an old
one to flight.
Good characters
alone makes any man
worthy of love.
Rich jealousy always
increases the feeling
of love.
Courtly Love & Knightly Adventure
Some Rules of Courtly Love Con’t . . .
From The Art of Courtly Love by Andreas Capellanus
He whom the thought of love
vexes eats and sleeps very
little.
A true lover considers
nothing good except what he
thinks will please his
beloved.
Nothing forbids one woman
being loved by two men or
one man by two women.
Code of Chivalry
Loyalty
Maintain commitment to the people and ideals you choose to live by. Never compromise.
Defense
Stay true to the oath to defend the liege lord; seek always to defend your nation and your family.
Code of Chivalry
Prowess
Seek excellence in all
endeavors. Use strength for
justice – not for personal
gain.
Seek always the path of
“right,” or unencumbered by
bias or personal interest, no
matter what the cost.
Code of Chivalry
Humility
Do not boast of your own
accomplishments; let
others do this for you.
Honor others before
yourself.
Courage
Be ready to follow the most
difficult paths. Be prepared
to make personal sacrifices
in service of others.
Code of Chivalry
Faith Have faith in your beliefs, for faith
roots you and gives hope against the despair created by human failings
Generosity Be generous as much as your
resources allow; generosity in this way counters gluttony.
Nobility Hold to the virtues and duties of a
knight, realizing the ideals cannot be reached.
Code of Chivalry
The Ten Commandments of the Code of Chivalry I. Believe all that the Church teaches, and observe all its
directions.
II. Defend the Church.
III. Respect all weaknesses, and constitute thyself defender of them.
IV. Love the country in which you were born.
V. Do not recoil before your enemy.
VI. Make war against the Infidel without cessation, and without mercy.
VII. Perform scrupulously your feudal duties, if they be not contrary to the laws of God.
VIII. Never lie, and remain faithful to your pledged word.
IX. Be generous, and give largess to everyone.
X. Be everywhere and always the champion of the Right and the Good against Injustice and Evil.
From Chivalry by Leon Gautier
May be based in fact
Feature these elements: Heroic figures and memorable
deeds
Quests, contests, or tests
Patterned events (for instance, events repeated three times)
Included: Detailed descriptions
Plot twists
Sophisticated characterization
King Arthur Was King Arthur real?
No one knows, but his name has popped
up since the sixth century, and by the
ninth century, he was a folk hero.
Morte d’Arthur
Written by Sir Thomas Mallory
First English prose version of King Arthur’s life.
Romance & medieval legend
King Arthur battles his illegitimate son, Mordred, loses his knights and dies himself
Values Chivalry, bravery, loyalty, warfare,
honor, conquests, heroism
Themes Love, loyalty, betrayal