An Introduction to the Middle Ages and Geoffrey

Chaucer

English 12Ms. Efford

Literature from This Unit

The Canterbury Tales By Geoffrey Chaucer

“Father of English Poetry” First author to write in English (Middle

English) [previously Latin] Educated Government official – work took precedence

over writing Worked on Canterbury Tales for 22 years;

never finished

The Middle Ages – Norman Invasion

1066 – Duke William of Normandy One-day long battle Defeated and killed King Harold of England William felt entitled to the English throne

(Edward, previous king, left no heirs) Combined Norman emphasis on law and

order with Anglo Saxon democracy and culture

Feudalism

Caste system (social class) Military system Property system System of social behavior

Top of the Ladder: William the Conqueror Barons, vassals, lower vassals, landless

knights, serfs

City Classes

Eventually many people left the country and moved to the cities

City classes not defined by the feudal system Upper, middle, lower Middle class = merchant class who

could afford what they wanted

Knighthood and Chivalry

Chivalry was a system of ideals that governed knights Loyalty to overlord Rules of warfare Adoration of a lady

Crusades & Hundred Years’ War

Crusades: Series of religious

wars to spread Christianity throughout Europe

Struggle against Muslims

Ultimately a failure Europe benefited from

contact with higher civilization of Middle East

Hundred Years’ War Battles between

England and France Lasted over 100 years

(1337-1453) Feud stemming from

Norman Invasion Militarily unsuccessful

for Britain; did increase sense of nationalism

Black Death

Highly contagious plague Spread through cities from fleas of

infested rats Killed 1/3 of people in England Gave more power to people in lower

classes Caused labor shortage Lower class workers willing to work could

negotiate wages and working conditions

Martyrdom of Sir Thomas a Becket

Thomas was a Norman who had great power in England as well as Catholic church (prime minister and Archbishop)

Sided with the Pope rather than the King

King Henry II (half joking) said he wanted Thomas put to death

Henry’s knights killed Thomas in the cathedral at Canterbury

Martyrdom of Sir Thomas a Becket

Saint Thomas the Martyr Made a saint and martyred by a cult

following who opposed the king People made pilgrimages to Canterbury

to honor Saint Thomas’s memory The Canterbury Tales are a fictional

collection of stories from a group of people making this pilgrimage to Canterbury

Worst Jobs in History

Middle Ages jobshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZrE1mVcB2k

(part 1)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPgkfxuyBgM&NR=1

(part 2)