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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