Background Introduction
Medieval Period Overview
Medieval Europe: Stages
Early Medieval
Europe
(c. 500–1000)
High Medieval
Europe
(c. 1000–1300)
Late Medieval
Europe
(c. 1300–1500)
When was the Middle Ages
(Medieval Times)?
The Middle Ages in Europe began with
the Fall of Rome and lasted about 1000
years.
476 AD to 1450AD
Sometimes called the “Dark Ages”,
because of the loss of Roman
achievements and education.
The Fall of the Roman Empire
Beginning
of the
Middle
Ages
Invasions
End of the
Roman
emperors
What was life like in Europe after the Fall
of Rome?
After the empire collapsed, life was
dangerous and difficult in Western Europe.
Trade declined and people worked hard
simply to survive and to have enough to
eat.
They also needed to protect themselves
from conquest by invading barbarians and
neighboring kingdoms.
High Middle Ages
During the High Middle
Ages, which began after
1000 AD, the population
of Europe increased
greatly as technological
and agricultural
innovations allowed trade
to flourish and the
Medieval Warm Period
climate change allowed
crop yields to increase.
High Medieval Ages
The Crusades were military campaigns
sanctioned by the Latin Roman Catholic
Church during the High Middle Ages and
Late Middle Ages. In 1095, Pope Urban II
proclaimed the First Crusade with the stated
goal of restoring Christian access to holy
places in and near Jerusalem.
Late Medieval Era
1300–1500
War
Black Death
Battle of Agincourt, 15th century
The Hundred Years’ War: Causes
The Hundred
Years’ War: 1337–
1453
Struggles between
French and English
royal families over
who would rule
either country
Conflicts over
territory, trade
English ruler Edward III
The Hundred Years’ War: Battles
England had early
victories
The French
eventually
expelled the
British from
mainland Europe
English military
innovation: the
archer
The Battle of Crecy, the first major battle of the
Hundred Years’ War
Joan of Arc
Heroine of
the war
Had visions
that told her
to free
France
Fought with
the army
Captured,
burned at
the stake
Joan of Arc being burned at the stake
The Plague
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spreads along trade routes
kills much of the population
about a third of Europeans
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
Popular Medical “Cures”
for the Plague
Doctors wore strange
costumes
Bathing in human urine
Wearing excrement
Placing dead animals in
homes
Wearing leeches
Drinking molten gold and
powdered emeralds
Burning incense to get rid of
the smell of the dead
A costume worn by doctors to ward off
the Plague
Effects of the Plague
Killed 25–
30 million
Europeans
Undermine
d faith in
religion
Economy
Culture
influenced
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The economic system of much
of the Middle Ages (800-1100)
Commoners (peasants) lived on a
feudal manor. The lord of the
manor gave his vassals (the
peasants) 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.
Feudalism is important as it
created ties of obedience and
fostered a sense of loyalty
between the vassals and their
lord.
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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…
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
God
his lord
his lady
Chivalric ideals
include...
benevolence (acts of
kindness)
 brotherly love
 politeness
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Provided guidance through
well known commandments:

Seven Deadly Sins
 Pride (vanity)
 Greed
 Wrath (anger)
 Envy
 Gluttony
 Sloth (laziness)
 Lust
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The Church
becomes more of
a political entity
Struggles with
monarchs

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Gregory VII and
Henry IV
Expanded land
ownership
Pope Gregory VII
Henry IV of Germany
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The medieval
philosophy that fate
is 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.
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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
The knight's love for the lady inspires him to
do great deeds, in order to be worthy of
her love or to win her favor.
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“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.
Geoffrey Chaucer
Geoffrey Chaucer 1340-1400 (?)
Father of English language
Middle class, welleducated (father was wine
merchant)
Odd jobs = page, courtier,
diplomat, civil servant,
scrap metal collector
Served at court
Diplomatic missions to
France, Spain, Italy
Catholic who perceived
abuses within Church and
exposed them
Later Life
Fluent in English, Italian, Latin, and French
Worked as a government official under three
different kings = high social status
Was captured as a POW during the Hundred
Year’s War  King paid his ransom
Died of unknown causes – murder suspected
Chaucer was one of the first writers to be buried
in the Poets’ Corner in Westminster Abbey.
Writing Styles
Often called the father of English poetry
Most scholars still wrote in Latin
 Felt English lacked sophistication and had a limited
vocabulary
 Only local stories and ballads written in English
He wrote in the vernacular or language of the
commoners Now known as Middle English
Allegory:
 a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a
hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one.
 It has a literal meaning and a symbolic meaning.
 Popular in the Middle Ages.
Writing Styles
Allegory:
 a story, poem, or picture
that can be interpreted to
reveal a hidden meaning,
typically a moral or
political one.
 It has a literal meaning
and a symbolic meaning.
 Popular in the Middle
Ages.
Writing Styles
Satire: witty language used to convey insult
Writing Styles
Rhythmic pattern
Lack of alliteration
Chaucer is best known for writing The
Canterbury Tales, but also had several other
works as well
The Journey Begins . . .
Chaucer uses a religious pilgrimage
to display all segments of medieval
England.
The Canterbury Tales begins with a
Prologue,
Narrator, presumably Chaucer himself,
meets 29 other pilgrims at the Tabard
Inn, located in a suburb of London.
As the pilgrims prepare for their
journey, the host of the Inn, Harry
Bailey, sets a challenge:
Each pilgrim tell two stories on the way
to Canterbury and two stories on the
return trip. The person who tells the
best tale will be treated to a feast hosted
by the other pilgrims.
The Journey Begins . . .
The Canterbury Tales is actually a
story about stories, twenty-four
different tales set within the
overarching tale of the pilgrimage.
Definition:
Frame Story – a story within a story
• The Outer Frame Story is about the pilgrims
meeting at the Tabard Inn preparing for a
journey to Canterbury.
• The Inner Frame Story would be all the
stories told by the assembled pilgrims along
their journey to and from Canterbury.
Snapshots of an Era. . .
In the Prologue, Chaucer sketches a brief
but vivid portrait of each pilgrim, creating
a lively sense of medieval life.
The description may literally describe an
article of clothing, but figuratively imply
something about that character.
Definition: Satire - a literary composition,
in verse or prose, in which human folly
and vice are held up to scorn, derision, or
ridicule.
Like sarcasm . . . He says one thing, but means
another.
Our job is to read and comprehend the literal
description of each pilgrim, and then, we must
figuratively interpret what Chaucer is trying to
imply about that pilgrim’s character.
Snapshots of an Era. . .
Satire (continued . . . ):
Also, so that we might better
understand his satirical
characterization, Chaucer creates
SATIRIC NORMS.
A SATIRIC NORM is a character that
represents the perfect ideal.
We can then see how BAD everyone
else is by comparing them to this
Satiric Norm.
Snapshots of an Era. . .
In the Prologue, Chaucer examines
three segments of Medieval
England:
1. The Old Feudal order – these are all of
the pilgrims associated with the feudal
class system.
• Knight, Squire, Yeoman, Plowman . . .
2. The Merchant Class – this was the
rising middle class of the time; towns and
cities were emerging and therefore
necessitated the need for skilled services:
• Merchant, Man of Law, Guildsmen, Cook . . .
3. The Ecclesiastical (Church) Class –
these were all of the members of the
church. Chaucer is most critical of this
segment of his society.
• Prioress, Monk, Friar, Pardoner . . .
A Literary Tour. . .
Chaucer uses the popular genres of
his time when he creates the inner
stories of the various pilgrims:
Romances (tales of chivalry)
•
The Wife of Bath’s Tale
Fabliaux (short, bawdy, humorous stories)
•
The Miller’s Tale
The stories of saint’s lives, sermons
•
The Parson’s Tale
Allegories (narratives in which characters
represent abstractions such as Pride or Honor).
•
The Pardoner’s Tale
Chaucer wrote much of the Tales using his
own form, the heroic couplet, a pair of
rhyming lines with five stressed syllables
each.
Literary Analysis
Characterization
Direct characterization presents direct
statements about a character, such as
Chaucer’s statement that the Knight
“followed chivalry, / Truth, honor. . . .”
Indirect characterization uses actions,
thoughts, and dialogue to reveal a
character’s personality. By saying “he
was not gaily dressed,” for instance,
Chaucer suggests that the Knight is not
vain and perhaps takes the pilgrimage
seriously enough to rush to join it straight
from battle.
Literary Analysis
Each character in The Canterbury Tales represents a
different segment of society in Chaucer’s time. By
noting the virtues and faults of each, Chaucer provides
social commentary, writing that offers insight into
society, its values, and its customs. While reading,
draw conclusions from the characters about Chaucer’s
views on English society.
Characters
 Narrator (“Chaucer”)
 Host
 Knight
 Squire
 Yeoman
 Prioress
 Second Nun
 Three Priests
 Monk
 Friar
 Merchant
 Clerk
 Man of Law
 Franklin
 Guildsmen
 Cook
 Shipman
 Physician
 Wife of Bath
 Parson
 Plowman
 Manciple
 Reeve
 Miller
 Summoner
 Pardoner