mi ddle ages 1066~1485. october 1066 duke william of normandy defeats king harold –aka william the...
TRANSCRIPT
Middle Ages
1066~1485
October 1066
• Duke William of Normandy defeats King Harold– Aka William the Conqueror
The Doomsday Book
• Inventory of every piece of property in England– People are taxed on what they own
Feudalism
• Caste
• Property
• Military
• Social Behavior
The Feudal System•The basic chain of feudalism was as follows:
1. God
2. Kings
3. Nobles (Barons, Bishops, etc.)
4. Knights- who did not own land
5. Serfs or peasants- who did not own land
Chivalry
• Ideals and behavior codes that governed both knights and gentlewoman– Loyalty to the overlord– Acceptance of certain rules of warfare– Adoration of a particular lady
• Courtly love
Influences on English Literature
The Crusades
• Muslims and Christians
• Began in 1096
• Mathematics, Astronomy, Architecture, and Crafts
Thomas a Becket
• Where Chaucer’s pilgrims are going
• Archbishop of Canterbury– Middle man between King and
Pope
– King appointed him
– “Will no one rid me of this meddlesome priest?”
– He then became a martyr
The Magna Carta
Written by aristocrats for
aristocrats.Signaled end of papal
power
The Hundred Years’ War
• England vs. France
• 1337~1453
• Development of British national consciousness
• End of feudalism
The Black Death
• Highly contagious
• Wiped out 1/3 of population
• Labor shortage – More power– Freedom of serfs
Intro to Canterbury Tales and Chaucer
The Life and Work of Chaucer
• First name Geoffrey– Father of English Literature & Poetry
• Born 1343• Father, John, was a wealthy man• Lived in Vintry District of London• Went to St. Paul’s Almonery School
– Learned Latin, rhetoric, religion, philosophy, science, and French
Written works
• The Book of the Duchess
• The Parliament of Fowls
• The House of Tame
• Troilus and Criseyde
• The Legend of Good Women: A Life of St. Cecelia
• The Canterbury Tales
Historical Background
• Set in 14th century London• Ruled by King and nobles who had all the
political power and the Catholic Church had all authority in spiritual matters.
• Rise in middle class because of trade and commerce.
• Most of the population was agrarian, poor peasants.
Historical continued
• Clergy became landowners.
• Abuse and corruption began in the church.
• The Plague wiped out 1/3 of the population.
• 1381: Peasants’ Rebellion
The Canterbury Tales
• Chaucer’s view of life in the city of London– 3 Estates: Church, Nobility, Peasantry
• Many sources are quoted– Ovid, Vigil– Augustine, Boethius– Descartes– Dante and Petrarch
The Canterbury Tales Continued
• Collection of short stories
• Framed by a journey and told by travelers
• Written in Middle English not French or Latin.– Vernacular
• Well-received
Types of medieval literature
• Romance: a narrative in metrical verse; tales of love, adventure, knightly combat, and ceremony.
• Fabliau: stories based on trickery and deception; often involves adultery.
• Myth: a story originating in classical literature.
Types Continued
• Breton Lais: a type of fairy tale; set in Brittany province of France; contains fairies, elves, folk wisdom, and folktales.
• Beast Fable: animals personify human qualities and act out human situations; usually teaches a lesson.
• Sermon: a Christian lesson
Types Continued
• Exemplum: a story which teaches a well-known lesson
• Allegory: a tale in which a person represents abstract qualities (death, virtue, love)
• Mock Romance: parodies, or makes fun, of the usual subjects of a romance.