Middle Ages

1066~1485

October 1066

• Duke William of Normandy defeats King Harold– Aka William the Conqueror

The Doomsday Book

• Inventory of every piece of property in England– People are taxed on what they own

Feudalism

• Caste

• Property

• Military

• Social Behavior

The Feudal System•The basic chain of feudalism was as follows:

1. God

2. Kings

3. Nobles (Barons, Bishops, etc.)

4. Knights- who did not own land

5. Serfs or peasants- who did not own land

Chivalry

• Ideals and behavior codes that governed both knights and gentlewoman– Loyalty to the overlord– Acceptance of certain rules of warfare– Adoration of a particular lady

• Courtly love

Influences on English Literature

The Crusades

• Muslims and Christians

• Began in 1096

• Mathematics, Astronomy, Architecture, and Crafts

Thomas a Becket

• Where Chaucer’s pilgrims are going

• Archbishop of Canterbury– Middle man between King and

Pope

– King appointed him

– “Will no one rid me of this meddlesome priest?”

– He then became a martyr

The Magna Carta

Written by aristocrats for

aristocrats.Signaled end of papal

power

The Hundred Years’ War

• England vs. France

• 1337~1453

• Development of British national consciousness

• End of feudalism

The Black Death

• Highly contagious

• Wiped out 1/3 of population

• Labor shortage – More power– Freedom of serfs

Intro to Canterbury Tales and Chaucer

The Life and Work of Chaucer

• First name Geoffrey– Father of English Literature & Poetry

• Born 1343• Father, John, was a wealthy man• Lived in Vintry District of London• Went to St. Paul’s Almonery School

– Learned Latin, rhetoric, religion, philosophy, science, and French

Written works

• The Book of the Duchess

• The Parliament of Fowls

• The House of Tame

• Troilus and Criseyde

• The Legend of Good Women: A Life of St. Cecelia

• The Canterbury Tales

Historical Background

• Set in 14th century London• Ruled by King and nobles who had all the

political power and the Catholic Church had all authority in spiritual matters.

• Rise in middle class because of trade and commerce.

• Most of the population was agrarian, poor peasants.

Historical continued

• Clergy became landowners.

• Abuse and corruption began in the church.

• The Plague wiped out 1/3 of the population.

• 1381: Peasants’ Rebellion

The Canterbury Tales

• Chaucer’s view of life in the city of London– 3 Estates: Church, Nobility, Peasantry

• Many sources are quoted– Ovid, Vigil– Augustine, Boethius– Descartes– Dante and Petrarch

The Canterbury Tales Continued

• Collection of short stories

• Framed by a journey and told by travelers

• Written in Middle English not French or Latin.– Vernacular

• Well-received

Types of medieval literature

• Romance: a narrative in metrical verse; tales of love, adventure, knightly combat, and ceremony.

• Fabliau: stories based on trickery and deception; often involves adultery.

• Myth: a story originating in classical literature.

Types Continued

• Breton Lais: a type of fairy tale; set in Brittany province of France; contains fairies, elves, folk wisdom, and folktales.

• Beast Fable: animals personify human qualities and act out human situations; usually teaches a lesson.

• Sermon: a Christian lesson

Types Continued

• Exemplum: a story which teaches a well-known lesson

• Allegory: a tale in which a person represents abstract qualities (death, virtue, love)

• Mock Romance: parodies, or makes fun, of the usual subjects of a romance.