The Medieval Period and Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales

English 12 /English 12 Honors

Mrs. Barton

Medieval Period: 1066-1485

The Medieval time period is also referred to as the Dark Ages and/or the Middle Ages.

Over the course of this time period in England, the economy, culture, language, religion, and geography dramatically transform as diversity and exploration takes shape.

THE BEGINNING OF THE MEDIEVAL PERIOD

Feudal estates-based on religious hierarchy Rural agricultural life/women’s roles are limited Latin- only written language Christian Unity Limited geographical knowledge; limited travel

THE BIRTH OF FEUDALISM

A caste system, a property system, a military system

Based on a religious concept of hierarchy, with God as the supreme overlord. (The King held all the land as a vassal to God)

CLASS STRUCTURE OF FEUDALISM

LORD

Knight

Squire

Yeoman

Serfs

FEUDALISM

The Feudal system developed in two ways:

1. Landowners wanted protection

A. Paid a portion of the yield from their

lands

B. Provided soldiers from their families

C. Performed whatever other duties and

homage were required

FEUDALISM

2. Conquering princes/warlords- would reward valued allies with grants of land. The land still technically belonged to the prince, but they administered it. It became the private domain of the barons and dukes who were the grantees

**Serfs were not really slaves but the bottom of the feudal social scale. They were bound to the land on which they worked. They owed service to the master of the land and were passed along from owner to owner.

THE MEDIEVAL CHURCH

Clergy were important and powerful Church owned and controlled an exorbitant

amount of land Church had its own legal and tax system Church leaders could speak with the religious

leaders of other nations without the permission of the King (no one else could)

Church supervised education

THE CRUSADES

Began in 1096 (30 years after Norman Conquest) Christians fought against Muslims along the

Mediterranean Sea and in North Africa The fought over Jerusalem and the Holy Land Europeans benefited from the contact with the higher

civilizations of the Middle East. They were exposed to mathematics, astronomy, architecture, and medicine

ARCHITECTURE

Gothic architecture was popular from1100 through 1500

While some were secular buildings most were produced for the church

Prominent Features: stained glass, external archways, rib vaulting and flying buttresses which enabled them to create cathedral ceilings for the first time

Famous examples: Notre Dame de Paris (1163

Westminster Abby (1245)

Medieval Musical Chants

Originated in the early Christian church and became popular during this period

Sung by monks in these great cathedrals and monasteries

PILGRIMAGES

Pilgrimage- a journey to a holy place or sacred shrine to obtain special blessings from God, or as an act of devotion, penance, or thanksgiving.

Places people take pilgrimages to:Holy Land- Jews, Christians, MuslimsVaranasi- HindusMecca- Muslim

Medieval people believed that life in this world was but a pilgrimage to reach heaven.

MEDIEVAL LANGUAGE

Three languages spoken:1. French by the Norman rulers2. Latin by the clergy and lawyers

3. Anglo-Saxon (Old English) by the common people Middle English

1. Evolves over a period of 400 years2. Old English combines with the Norman French3. Latin terms are added to the language of the

common people

MEDIEVAL LITERATURE

The average person still could not read. Plays were popular and often acted out in town squares. Dramas were often called “Mystery Plays” and the most common subject was Christianity. Plays would dramatize the lives of saints, bible stories, or serve as moral allegories.

MEDIEVAL LITERATURE

The legend of King Arthur was the a common subject of Medieval literature.

Chaucer wrote Canterbury Tales as a frame story (a story or stories within a story).

Lyrics and ballads were also very popular.

Geoffrey Chaucer 1343(?)-1400

Known as the “Father of English Poetry” Member of the middle class, well-educated

(father was wine merchant) Served at court Made diplomatic missions to France, Spain,

Italy Catholic yet acknowledged and exposed

abuses within the Church in his writing

History of the Tales

Geoffrey Chaucer began writing the tales around 1387AD

The uncompleted manuscript was published in 1400AD, the year he died.

First work of poetry purposely written in the English language.

Canterbury Tales: a frame story (story or stories within a story)

Pilgrims journey from the Tabard Inn in Southwark, England to the shrine of St. Thomas a Beckett in Canterbury, England.

Work was not completed at Chaucer’s death.– planned for each of 30 pilgrims to tell 2 tales going to and

2 tales returning from Canterbury (120 stories in original plan)

– only finished 22 tales Pilgrims’ tales are written in narrative verse, aiming to

entertain and teach a lesson. Chaucer customarily writes a five-stress, ten-syllable line,

alternating unstressed and stressed syllables (what would later be called iambic pentameter).

Map of England

Pilgrim’s Route

Canterbury Tales: What is it about Canterbury?

It connected 3 trading ports to London; Julius Caesar invaded it in 43 A.D.

The Roman civilization brought it theatres, baths, temples, etc. until invasion of Angles, Saxons, Jutes in 5th/6th century

The Anglo Saxons of Canterbury converted to Christianity in 597 by Saint Augustine

A monastery [today’s cathedral] was founded in 602 by St. Augustine; Canterbury was the mother of British Christianity

It was surrendered at Battle of Hastings (1066) to William the Conqueror; the cathedral was destroyed by fire in 1067

Why pilgrimage to Canterbury? Enter Thomas a Becket.

Thomas a Becket, archbishop of England and friend of King Henry II, fought for church independence.

Becket and the king had a disagreement. Becket was exiled to France for 6 years because he

supported the Pope instead of the King. When he returned, the king was angry. The king said, “Not one will deliver me from this low-born

priest” in frustration. Suspiciously, four knights murdered Becket on December 29,

1170 in the Canterbury Cathedral. Thomas a Becket was made a saint (canonized) just 3 years

later. St. Thomas a Becket’s shrine was completed in 1220.

Canterbury Cathedral

THE END OF THE MEDIEVAL PERIOD

More independent businesses Cities, commercial centers, trade routes develop Women are idealized Literature written in many languages-development

of Middle English Diversity as the Reformation approaches Discoveries of new worlds as a result of more

travel