Literature of the Middle Literature of the Middle AgesAges

Historical Historical periodsperiods

Anglo-SaxonAnglo-Saxon

Renaissance

Middle English

Old English 449-1066 Use of Runes, symbols

Modern English 1500-present

Middle English 1066-1500 French influence CTales is in Middle English

English language development

Medieval DramaMedieval Drama

Sponsored by churchSponsored by church Miracle and mystery playsMiracle and mystery plays Retold Bible stories or lives of Retold Bible stories or lives of

saintssaints Morality playsMorality plays, 15, 15thth century, dealt century, dealt

with ordinary people taught moral with ordinary people taught moral lessonslessons

Johann GutenbergJohann Gutenberg

1454 – perfected 1454 – perfected movable typemovable type

Printing spread Printing spread rapidly through rapidly through EuropeEurope

William CaxtonWilliam Caxton

1476 – first movable-type press 1476 – first movable-type press in Englandin England

Literature no longer needed to Literature no longer needed to be hand-copied by church be hand-copied by church scribesscribes

One of first projects – Geoffrey One of first projects – Geoffrey Chaucer’s Chaucer’s Canterbury TalesCanterbury Tales

Medieval PoetryMedieval Poetry

The Canterbury TalesThe Canterbury Tales

By Geoffrey ChaucerBy Geoffrey Chaucer An exchange of tales An exchange of tales

by pilgrims on the by pilgrims on the way to Canterburyway to Canterbury

Shows cross-section Shows cross-section of Medieval societyof Medieval society

22 of expected 120 22 of expected 120 tales completedtales completed

The Canterbury TalesThe Canterbury Tales

Heroic CoupletHeroic Couplet– A pair of rhyming linesA pair of rhyming lines– Five stressed syllables eachFive stressed syllables each

Lyric PoetryLyric Poetry

Popular Popular instrument: lyreinstrument: lyre

Strummed while Strummed while verse recitedverse recited

Two categories Two categories of poetry: of poetry: secular and secular and religiousreligious

BalladsBallads

Popular poetic Popular poetic formform

Folk song that Folk song that tells a storytells a story

Robin HoodRobin Hood

A New Genre of LiteratureA New Genre of Literature

Knighthood and Chivalry

It was the primary duty of all males above the serf class to be trained tobe a knight.

After a boy completed years of training,in a home other than his own...

He would be “dubbed” a knight,given the title, “sir” and all rightsof the warrior caste.

Knighthood was grounded in the idea ofextreme loyalty and a knight was boundto certain codes of honor that forced himact in a certain manner - even if it wouldresult in his certain death.

Knights had to adhere to strict codes ofhonor…

Such as never attacking anunarmed opponent

Chivalry was a system of social codesthat governed the behavior of knights ...and ladies.

And, in addition, adoring a particular ladywas seen as a means of self-improvement.

Revering and acting in the name of a ladywould make a knight braver and better.

And even thoughthe relationshipwas purelyplatonic...

The stories of knights and ladies developedinto a new genre of literature...

The Romance

King ArthurKing Arthur

Celtic knight/kingCeltic knight/king Subject of most Subject of most

popular popular romancesromances

Sir Thomas Sir Thomas Malory: Malory: Le Morte Le Morte D’ArthurD’Arthur, 15, 15thth centurycentury