1. The Anglo-Norman Period (1066 ~ 1485)
Chapter 2
The Anglo-Norman Period
(1066 ~ 1485)

2. I. Historical Background
The Norman Conquest (1066 ~ 1350 A.D.)
in 1066 A.D.: William ---- Harold (the battle of Hastings) → the conquest of England
2. consequences:
feudalism
medieval French culture
Norm-French language

3. French --- official language, used by the King, Norman lords and courtiers
Latin --- the principal tongue of the scholars in churches and courts
Old English --- spoken only by the common English people

4. changes of the English language throughout some four centuries
Thousands of words were borrowed.
Many old inflectional forms of native English words disappeared.
The formal grammar was considerably simplified.

5. II. Medieval English Literature
1066 ~ the mid-14th century: barren period
the second half of the 14th century: Age of Chaucer
Genres:
Romances
Three major themes:
The Matter of Britain
The Matter of France
The Matter of Rome
representative work:
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

6. The features of Romance
The romance was a long composition, sometimes in verse, sometimes in prose, describing the life and adventures of a noble hero.
Hero: usually the knight, a man of noble birth, skilled in the use of weapons, who sets out on a journey to accomplish some goal -- to protect the church and the king, to attack infidelity, to rescue a maiden, to meet a challenge, or to obey a knightly command.

7. The structure is loose and episodic; the language and style are simple and straightforward.
It was written for the noble class, so it had nothing to do with the common people.
It exaggerates the vices of human nature and idealizes the virtues.
It contains perilous adventures more or less remote from ordinary life, even describes supernatural things.

8. ☆ Definition of Romance
Romance: Any imagination literature that is set in an idealized world and that deals with a heroic adventures and battles between good characters and villains or monsters.

9. Popular Ballads
Introduction:
Popular ballads are originally dance songs in verse form, usually in 4-line stanzas, with the second and fourth lines rhymed.
There were several kinds of ballads: historical, legendary, fantastical, lyrical and humorous.
Ballads of Robin Hood

10. Features of Ballads
Dramatic developments of its plot with vivid episodes
Both narrative and lyrical components
Repetition
Alliteration
Variety of themes

11. Middle English Prose
Thomas Malory : Morte d'Arthur
(Death of Arthur)
(2) Writers
William Langland: Piers the Plowman
Geoffrey Chaucer: The Canterbury Tales