Brainstorm what you know about the Medieval Times (the Dark Ages):  What was life like back then? What are some key technologies they did not have?  What comes to mind when you think about “chivalry”?  What do you know about knights/castles?  What do you think the church (the Catholic Church) was like back then?  How were women/peasants treated?

NEW NOTES

 A time period in European history (roughly 500 – 1500 AD) marked by the fall of the Western Roman Empire (the end of Antiquity) and lasting until the beginning of the Renaissance.  Divided into three periods: Early, High, and Late  “Medieval” is an adjective used to describe things associated with the Middle Ages.  Some scholars, especially those during the Renaissance and Enlightenment periods, viewed the Middle Ages as the “Dark Ages”, a time when civilization was mired in superstition and ignorance

 The idea of estates, or orders people belonged to, was encouraged during the Age  Clergy  Spoke Latin, purpose was to save everyone’s soul (priests, bishops, nuns…etc.)  Nobles  Spoke French (after Norman Invasion in 1066), purpose was to protect—allow for all to work in peace—and provide justice (kings, dukes, barons, knights…etc.)  Commoners  Spoke English, purpose was to feed and clothe all above them (peasants/serfs)

 The economic system of much of the Middle Ages ( )  Commoners (peasants) lived on a feudal manor. The lord of the manor gave his vassals land to farm.  In return, the vassals received protection from roving bandits. Yet they were taxed and had to surrender a portion of their crops to the lord.  Serfs, on the other hand, were basically slaves. They were bound to the land they worked, unable to leave (though they did own possessions).  Feudalism - basis of the society. created ties of obedience and loyalty between the vassals and their lord.

 A product of feudalism, chivalry was an idealized system of manners and morals  The Medieval knight was bound to the chivalric code to be loyal to…  God  his lord  his lady  Attributes of Chivalry: benevolence (kindness), brotherly love, politeness, honor, courtly love, protecting the defenseless

 Provided guidance through well known commandments:  Seven Deadly Sins  Pride (vanity)  Wrath (anger)  Envy (jealousy)  Gluttony (over-eating)  Sloth (laziness)  Lust  Greed

 The medieval philosophy that fate is capricious (constantly changing). One minute you could be up and then the next minute you’re down.  Believed to be turned by the goddess Fortuna (Fate). Notice again the mixture of pagan and Christian beliefs.

 The pervading philosophy also known as the “Geocentric Model”, meaning that the universe is centered on the earth.  People of the Medieval period loved order! Remember the Three Estates, the Seven Deadly Sins—a place for everyone and everyone in that place.

 Is chivalry towards women a good thing? Or does it increase sexism because women are treated differently than men? Explain your answer in a half-page paragraph.

 Marked by catastrophe: many wars, famines, and diseases (The Black Death)  There was a revival in classical Greek and Roman ideals when scholars from Constantinople sought refuge in Italy from the Ottoman Turks  The fall of Constantinople (the Eastern Roman Empire), the invention of printing, and the rise of colonialism marked the end of the Middle Ages

 spreads along trade routes  kills 1/3 of the population  the plague outbreaks occur through the Middle Ages and into the Renaissance  The Plague provides for continued growth in cities  Afterwards, hundreds of new jobs available  Many debts “died off” with creditors  also contributed to society’s culture

 Latin was the language of the Roman Catholic Church, which dominated Europe  The Church was the only source of education  Thus, Latin was a common language for Medieval writings.

 Catholic clerics were the intellectual center of society in the Middle Ages, and it is their literature that was produced in the greatest quantity.  A notable amount of Medieval literature is anonymous. Medieval authors tended to re- tell stories they heard or read rather than invent new stories.

 An allegory is a figurative mode of representation conveying a meaning other than the literal. (example: Animal Farm where the animals represent the Communist Party, The Chronicles of Narnia where Aslan represents Christ)  Much of Medieval literature relied on allegory to convey the moral of the story.

 This relationship was modeled on the feudal relationship between a knight and his liege lord.  The knight serves his courtly lady with the same obedience and loyalty which he owes to his liege lord.  She is in complete control; he owes her obedience and submission

 A quest is a hero’s journey towards a goal. It requires great exertion from the hero, and the overcoming of many obstacles.  The hero's must obtain something, or someone, by the quest and with this object return home.  The knight's love for the lady inspires him to do great deeds or quests in order to win her favor.

 “Courtly love" was not between husband and wife because it was an idealized sort of relationship that could not exist within the context of "real life" Medieval marriages.  In the Middle Ages, marriages amongst the nobility were typically based on practical and dynastic concerns rather than on love.

Attributes of Chivalry: benevolence (kindness), brotherly love, politeness, honor, courtly love, protecting others who cannot protect themselves Is chivalry dead or alive? In what ways? What are some ways we can encourage chivalry?

 Heroism  from both Germanic and Christian traditions  Divine decent or accomplished  Presentations of idealized behavior  literature as moral lesson  loyalty to king  chivalry  use of kennings (especially in Beowulf )  A figurative, usually compound expression used in place of a name or noun. Example, storm of swords is a kenning for battle.

 Romance  Knights/Chivalry  A narrative in prose or verse that tells of the adventures and heroic exploits of chivalric heroes  exploits of knights  often a supernatural element involved  Christian message  concern with salvation and the world to come  no interest in social change  until the late 14th century  Chaucer signals new thinking, up-ending social order