Ch14, Sec 4-Life and Culture in the High Middle Ages

LANGUAGE Throughout the Middle Ages, European culture changed. Latin remained the written and spoken language of educated people in Western Europe throughout the Middle Ages. People with little education spoke vernacular languages Vernacular languages were the everyday languages that varied from place to place.

LANGUAGE French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and Romanian were vernacular languages that evolved from Latin during the period of the Middle Ages, when people could not read, write or spell. They are called “Romance” languages, and are basically misspelled Latin. German was a vernacular language that evolved from an early Germanic language. Early English evolved from Anglo-Saxon, a Germanic language. Over the years, English received heavy influences from Latin and French. Most words in English of more than 2 syllables come from Latin.

Early Literature Most literature in the Middle Ages continued to be written in Latin. Some writers began to use vernacular languages.

Illuminated Manuscripts An illuminated manuscript is a manuscript in which the text is supplemented with such decoration as initials, borders and miniature illustrations Much ancient and contemporary medieval literature was copied and illustrated in beautiful illuminated manuscripts.

Making a manuscript

EARLY LITERATURE Troubadours (bards) were traveling singers who wrote poems about love and chivalry, and sang them in castles and in towns. Romances were fictional stories often written in vernacular languages for medieval audiences. The best known English romances were stories of King Arthur.

LITERATURE-NATIONAL EPIC A national epic is a long poem about a national hero. France’s “national epic” was “The Song of Roland”, a long poem written about 1100. It is set in the period of Charlemagne, and features the brave deeds and heroic death of Roland, one of Charlemagne’s knights who was fighting the Moors.

LITERATURE-DRAMAS Drama writen in the vernacular languages developed during the Middle Ages. Miracle plays were plays about saints and the miracles they performed. Mystery plays were based on Bible stories. Morality plays were dramatized allegories, in which characters portrayed virtues and vices. The plays were sometimes part of church services, but often presented in town marketplaces.

The plays were sometimes part of church services, but often presented in town marketplaces. The wagons that transported the traveling actors were often converted to stages.

Medieval Drama-History

LITERATURE-Dante Alighieri A great Italian writer born in the region of Tuscany, in Italy, in 1265. He wrote in the Tuscan dialect of Italian He wrote the Divine Comedy, a long narrative poem in three parts, in which Dante himself takes an imaginary trip through hell, purgatory and heaven. He used this story partly as social commentary, to point out the faults an virtues of people in society.

Literature - Chaucer Geoffrey Chaucer was a great English writer. Born in 1340 in England. He spent 10 years as an English diplomat in Europe, and was elected to Parliament in 1386 He wrote the Canterbury Tales, a long poem, that has stories within a story. It is written in “Middle English”. The umbrella story is about a group of pilgrims traveling together to Canterbury to the tomb of Thomas Becket. Each tells a story.

LITERATURE CHAUCER The umbrella story is about a group of pilgrims traveling together to Canterbury to the tomb of Thomas Becket. Each tells a story. The pilgrims represent all walks of life. Each tells a story. Some are dignified, some are bawdy and hilarious.

EDUCATION In the Early Middle Ages, few people were educated. Some nobles and clergy (priests, etc) were educated, but even some of those were not. In the Early Middle Ages, what schooling existed was carried out in monasteries and churches.

Education In the High Middle Ages, education changed Towns grew, and schools grew up in the towns. Teachers would set up a school and teach any males who wanted to study for a fee.

Education Gradually, these teachers and students formed guilds to protect their interests. A “universitas” was a guild (association) of teachers and students. It’s purpose was to protect and gain rights for teachers and students.

EDUCATION The “Universitas” became what we call a university. There had been centers of learning in other parts of the world, but these were the first schools that offered degrees the way universities do today. Entering students were like “apprentices”. The students studied for several years and received a Bachelor of Arts degree, which was like finishing an apprenticeship and becoming a “journeyman”. Then a student might study several more years, and receive a Master of Arts, which was like becoming a “master” in a craft. (There was no Ph.D. degree yet).

EARLIEST UNIVERSITIES The earliest European universities formed between the late 1000s and the late 1200s. They were: U. of Bologna (Italy)-specialized in civil and church law; U of Salerno (Sicily) -medicine; U of Oxford (England) -the liberal arts and theology; U. of Paris (France) -the liberal arts and theology The “Liberal Arts” were: Grammar, Rhetoric, Logic, Geometry, Arithmetic, Music, Astronomy. All classes were in Latin.

PHILOSOPHY In the high middle ages, the works of Aristotle were read by medieval philosophers. The philosophers tried to bring the ideas of Aristotle, who placed the highest value on reason, together with the teachings of the Christian faith. Scholasticism is the philosophy that attempts to bring together reason and faith.

PHILOSOPHY-SCHOLASTICISM One great medieval scholastic philosopher was Peter Abelard. He was a Scholastic philosopher. Taught at the university of Paris Wrote “Sic et Non” (yes and no) which out quotations from the Bible and Church teachings, and showed that some contradicted each other. He then invited students to debate these teachings. (He was a believer, but he believed that debate ultimately strengthens faith.) Most remembered for his love affair with a student, Heloise.

PHILOSOPHY-SCHOLASTICISM St. THOMAS AQUINAS Greatest Scholastic philosopher A friar of the Dominican order Wrote “Summa Theologica”, which is probably the most important medieval work of philosophy and theology

Philosophy, Scholasticism Thomas Aquinas His main point was that all truth is God’s truth. Reason and faith are both valid, and must ultimately lead to the same truth. This led him to believe that non-Christians could also arrive at truth through reason. One of the most arguments in “Summa Theologica” is his rational proof of the existence of God.

Argument from motion Every motion we see around us must be caused by a prior motion. In infinite regress of movers is impossible. (We can’t take the series of causes of motion back forever.) Therefore there must be an ultimate cause of motion, a mover that is itself unmoved, an “Unmoved Mover”. This is God

Aquinas

Cosmological Arguments of Aquinas

ART-ARCHITECTURE-ROMANESQUE The most important art form in the Middle Ages was Church Architecture. From about 1000-1150, most architects followed a style called Romanesque. Romanesque was often beautiful, but it was characterized by heavy thick walls (necessary to support the roof), relatively small windows, and rounded arches.

ARCHITECTURE-GOTHIC About 1150, a new style emerged: Gothic The first great example was the Church of St. Denis, and it was commissioned by Abbot Suger. Abbott Suger wanted more light, to lift the minds of the worshipers to God.

ARCHITECTURE: Gothic Gothic Architecture: Much thinner, higher walls Flying buttresses (exterior spider like supports) to support the walls) Pointed arches Huge stained glass windows that filled the churches with light.

Romanesque vs. Gothic

Gothic-St.Denis-Macauley

Romanesque vs. Gothic

Gothic Cathedrals

Cathedrals-David McCaulley