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Medieval Literature Early England and it’s influences.

+Anglo-Norman Influence

After the Norman conquest of 1066, Norman-French became the vernacular of England. It was used within Parliament, the Church and also in the laws.

What’s a Vernacular?

The language of the common people

It wasn’t until the Hundred Year’s War that the vernacular changed to English, however, Anglo-French was still used by Parliament and for writing laws.

+Known Anglo-Norman Literature

Older than the famous love story of Romeo and Juliet, the Anglo-Norman romance of Tristan and Isolde is a classic

tale that is still alive today.

+Religion in Literature

This is a huge part of Medieval literature, especially since the Bible was the most copied

book during these times. Monks would copy the text in rooms called scriptoriums. They

became experts in calligraphy because of the repetition in writing. No errors could be made, and if this were to happen, they would start

the entire page over.

+Evolution of Printing

+Epic Stories: Battles, Bravery

and Heroics

The English loved Epic stories. The main characters of these stories were Knights and Kings from the Anglo-Saxon wars such as, King Arthur, Charlemange, and King Roland. These men were highly respected for their bravery during England’s hard times. The classic tale of King Arthur was actually first written in French and is known as “La Morte d’Arthur”.

+A Tragedy in Literature’s History

The great library in Alexandria, containing many scrolls with scientific, mathematical, artistic, and philosophical knowledge, was all burned. Monks copied the scrolls that survived the fire as a means to pass them down to future generations. This happened during the 5th century, however, because of the replications some of the scrolls were saved and used during Medieval times.

+How Did Medieval Literature Transform Literature Today?

Some of the works from the Medieval times are still treasured today. From the tragic romance of Tristan and Isolde, to the epic tale of King Arthur and his knights, these works of art still play a huge role in modern day life. These and many other tales have been analyzed and studied, and from them we can have a better understanding on life in Medieval times. We are able to see the technological advances through how the tales and documents were recorded. We are also able to see the importance of things such as, bravery and chivalry and how they were part of everyday life. If none of the technological advances had been made, we might not even have the classic tales such as Beowulf, and the Canterbury Tales, that are so dear to our society.

Literature has transformed greatly throughout the centuries, but it still has the power to captivate the reader. It has always been treasured, and will still remain that way.

+Works Cited

http://www.medieval-life.net

" Anglo-Norman literature ." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online School Edition. Encyclopædia Britannica, 20102010. Web. 71 Oct. 20102010  http://school.eb.com/eb/article-9007589.

English literature ." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online School Edition. Encyclopædia Britannica, 20102010. Web. 71 Oct. 20102010  <http://school.eb.com/eb/article-9106051>.

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