1. MEDIEVAL PERIOD (500-1500) By: Jonathan Chancelien, Clinesha Perry, Kimani Muhammadnd Debbie Starks

2. HISTORY  The era began in A.D. 476 when a chieftain overthrew the last emperor of the Western Roman Empire.  It was a time of knights and kings where European kingdoms fought the Crusades.  The church had it’s own laws, courts, and collected taxes.

3. HISTORY CONT’D  France and England fought the Hundred Years War (1337-1453)  Black Death (1347-1350)

4. CHARACTERISTICS  The characteristics of medieval literature included richness and abundance of symbolism.  Paper was made from calf’s skin.  Much of the early literature of this period consists of sermons, prayers, lives of saints and homilies.

5. MEDIEVAL POETRY  Medieval poetry most often covers topics of religious devotion and of courtly love, both of which had a great deal of importance in medieval society.  Medieval poetry was often spoken before it was eventually written down.  The purpose was usually to instruct as much as to entertain the citizens of each town or village.

6. MEDIEVAL NOVELS  There were few novels written during the medieval period.  The books were hand illustrated by monks.

7. FAMOUS MEDIEVAL AUTHORS  Geoffrey Chaucer (1343-1400) “The Book of the Duchess”  William Langland (1332-1386) “ Piers the Ploughman”  Julian of Norwich (1342-1416) “ Revelations of Divine Love”