1. The Medieval Era

2. O. E. + O. Fr.  Middle English
The Norman Conquest
Led by William, Duke of Normandy, the Normans (from France) invaded in the year The King of England was killed in the Battle of Hastings, and William emerged victorious.
During the next several centuries, the Old English language and culture merged with Old French. They continued to be two separate languages, but many French words and customs were incorporated into the English way of life.
O. E. + O. Fr.  Middle English

3. The Feudal System

4. Other influences: language/learning
1454 Johann Gutenberg – the printing press
1476 William Caxton – the first English printing press
Result: literature no longer needed to be hand-copied by church scribes.

5. Literature of the Middle Ages
the first true dramas emerged
the poet Geoffrey Chaucer wrote The Canterbury Tales
romances portrayed the deeds of knights
balladeers sang of love and deeds of outlaws

6. Medieval Drama church sponsored plays as part of religious services
plays gradually moved into the marketplace
miracle plays or mystery plays – retold stories from the Bible / lives of saints
morality plays – depicted lives of ordinary people and taught moral lessons

7. Romances, Lyrics, and Ballads
Medieval romances
tales describing the adventures of knights
many about the Arthurian legend
Lyrical poetry
poets often strummed lyres (a harplike instrument) as they recited their verse
led to lyrical poetry
Ballads
folk song that tells a story
many were about the hero Robin Hood

8. Geoffrey Chaucer Born in London 1343-1400
Author, poet, bureaucrat, courtier, diplomat.
Satirist
Thought by many to be the “Father of English Poetry”
Buried in Westminster Abbey

9. The Poet’s Corner
The Poets Corner of Westminster Abbey was established around the tomb of Chaucer. It is also the resting place for other British literary greats such as William Shakespeare and Charles Dickens.

10. Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales
written in Middle English
frame story – a story w/in a story
shows a cross section of medieval society, from the nobility all the way down to the degraded lower class
Knew that his job as a traveling poet, or scop, was to entertain and to deliver the news from one town to another.
Whan that aprill with his shoures soote The droghte of march hath perced to the roote, And bathed every veyne in swich licour Of which vertu engendred is the flour; Whan zephirus eek with his sweete breeth Inspired hath in every holt and heeth Tendre croppes, and the yonge sonne Hath in the ram his halve cours yronne, And smale foweles maken melodye, That slepen al the nyght with open ye (so priketh hem nature in hir corages); Thanne longen folk to goon on pilgrimages,

11. Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales
Adapted pilgrims from people he encountered in his life.
Chaucer puts himself in the story as a pilgrim, so he could be the eyes for his readers.
Wrote in Rhyme Royal:
5-stress line
Meter similar to iambic pentameter
Rhyming couplets

12. Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales
planned as an exchange of tales among pilgrims journeying to the shrine of martyr Thomas Becket at Canterbury, England
30 pilgrims tell 2 stories each down from London to Canterbury and 2 stories on the return trip = 60 stories down + 60 on the return = 120 stories
Chaucer only wrote the Prologue
(the frame) and 24 tales, but it is
considered a complete work

13. Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales
The tales are divided into different types (genres) of stories:
romances – tales of chivalry / courtly love
fabliaux - short, bawdy, humorous stories
sermons – stories of saints
fables – a story that uses talking animals & teaches a moral or lesson
Each pilgrim tells a type of tale consistent with his / her own character (for example, the Knight tells a romance, etc).

14. Literary Terms Direct characterization Indirect characterization
Heroic couplet
Ballad
Folk tale
Medieval romance
Miracle plays
Morality plays
Frame story
Legend

15. Other Terms
Feudalism
Baron
Peasant/serf
Martyr
Chivalry
pilgrimage