English Literature
The Medieval Period
(Old English and Middle English)
England before the English
• When the Roman legions
arrived, they found the
land inhabited by
“Britons.”
– Today, the Britons are
known as the Celts
• Stonehenge
• no written language
• The Britons were
absorbed into Roman
society
– Latin is spoken
• Romans withdraw as the
Empire crumbles, leaving
the Britons behind
England before the English
• group of pagan people
from Northern Europe
begin a series of
invasions
– Anglo-Saxons (Angles,
Saxons, Jutes)
– bring Germanic
languages
– still have their language
• Wednesday…day of
Woden, father of the gods
• Thursday…day of Thor,
god of war
Woden--father of the gods
• By 600, Anglo-Saxons
conquer the Britons
– language becomes more
Germanic
• still retains some Latin
• The Anglo-Saxons’ two
urgings--war and
wandering become part
of the oral tradition
– Beowulf is an example of
an Anglo-Saxon hero tale
Beowulf battles Grendel’s mother
• By 700, Christian
missionaries arrive to
convert the pagans
– Latin (the language of
the Church) returns
• King Alfred
– the Britons become
organized
– first true king of the
Britons
– period of prosperity
King Alfred brings an age of prosperity
• In 1066, the Normans (French
speaking people from Normandy),
led by William the Conqueror
attack and defeat the Britains (a
blend of the Britons and AngloSaxons) at the Battle of Hastings
• the 3rd language is introduced-French
– French culture and French literature
arrives
Welcome to England and the English…
an island of peoples, languages, and divisions...
The White Tower in London…
Chartres Cathedral
part of William’s legacy
Latin -- church, schools
French -- court, castle
English -- commoners
What was it like to live
in the Middle Ages?
The 3 Estates in the Middle Ages
• The idea of estates, or orders, was
encouraged during the Age, but
this ordering was breaking down.
– Clergy
• Latin chiefly spoken, those who pray,
purpose was to save everyone’s soul
– Nobles
• French chiefly spoken, those who
fight, purpose was to protect—allow
for all to work in peace—and provide
justice
– Commoners
• English spoken, those who work,
purpose was to feed and clothe all
above them
feudalism
A tenant (vassal) renews his oath of fealty
to his lord
• 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.
– it was better to be a lord than a
vassal!
• Feudalism is important as it created
ties of obedience and fostered a
sense of loyalty between the vassals
and their lord.
Chivalry
• A product of feudalism,
chivalry was an idealized
system of manners and
morals
– Restricted to nobility
• The Medieval knight was
bound to the chivalric code to
be loyal to…
– God
– his lord
– his lady
• Chivalric ideals include...
– benevolence
– brotherly love
– politeness
• Sir Gawain is an example
The Church
• Provided guidance through
well known precepts..
– Seven Deadly Sins
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Pride
Greed
Wrath
Envy
Gluttony
Sloth
Lust
The “High” Middle Ages
(begin 1095)
• Begin with the First Crusade (1095)--reclaim
Jerusalem from the infidels
– Open trade routes
– Peasants (the vassals) are liberated from their
lords to fight, and die, in the Holy Lands
– Cities spring up along the crusade routes
– Feudalism dies out
– the transition to the Renaissance begins
The “High” Middle Ages
• Before, in the Dark
Ages, the Church
provided structure to
society, not only with
religion, but by
providing education,
as well.
• Sadly, with the
Crusades, the Church
becomes incredibly
corrupt.
– Popes fight for
political power
– Greed is rampant
• selling of indulgences
• Crusades for $
• look for this in the
Tales
With the Crusades comes
The Black Death
• spreads along trade routes
• kills much of the population
• the plague outbreaks occur
through the Middle Ages and
into the Renaissance
• Paradoxically, 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
Enough already!
I thought this was an English class!
Literature During the
Medieval Period
Languages
• 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.
A notable amount of medieval
literature is anonymous.
Medieval authors often tended to
re-tell and embellish stories they
heard or read rather than invent
new stories.
Geoffrey Chaucer
c. 1343-1400
• Considered the father of English poetry
• Wrote in the vernacular
• Served as a soldier, government servant, and member of
Parliament
• Introduced iambic pentameter
• First writer buried in Westminster Abbey
Learn more about Chaucer. Go to. . .
http://www.unc.edu/depts/chaucer/index.html
The Canterbury Tales:
Snapshot of an Age
• It frames a story of characters on a religious
pilgrimage to Canterbury.
• The characters are a concise portrait of an entire
nation.
• The pilgrimage is a quest narrative that moves
from images of spring and awakening to penance,
death, and eternal life.
• The characters tell stories that reflect “everyman”
in the universal pilgrimage of life.
The Travelers to Canterbury
Working Class
Plowman
Cook
Miller
Reeve
Host
Haberdasher
Dyer
Carpenter
Weaver
Carpetmaker
The Travelers to Canterbury
Professional Class
Military
Religious
Knight, Squire, Yeoman
Nun, 3 Priests, Friar, Parson,
Pardoner, Summoner
Secular
Cleric, Serjeant at Law, Merchant,
Skipper, Doctor
The Travelers to Canterbury
Upper Class
Wife of Bath
Franklin
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.
Characteristics of Medieval Literature
• Heroism
– from both Germanic and Christian traditions,
sometimes mingled
• Beowulf
• Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
• 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.
Use of Allegory
• An allegory is a figurative mode of representation
conveying a meaning other than the literal.
• Much of medieval literature relied on allegory to
convey the morals the author had in mind while
writing--representations of abstract qualities,
events, and institutions are thick in much of the
literature of this time.
The Ideal of Courtly Love
• 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.
• “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.
• “Courtly love" provided a model of
behavior for a class of unmarried
young men who might otherwise
have threatened social stability.
• Knights were typically younger
brothers without land of their own
(hence unable to support a wife).
• They became members of the
household of the feudal lords
whom they served.
The lady is typically older, married, and
of higher social status than the knight
because she was modeled on the wife of
the feudal lord, who might naturally
become the focus of the young,
unmarried knights' desire.
The literary model of courtly love
may have been invented to
provide young men with a model
for appropriate behavior.
It taught them to sublimate their
desires and to channel their
energy into socially useful
behavior (love service rather than
wandering around the
countryside, stealing or raping
women.
The "symptoms" of love were described
as as if it were a sickness.
The "lovesick" knight’s typical
symptoms: sighing, turning pale,
turning red, fever, inability to sleep,
eat or drink.
The Quest
• In addition to the theme of Courtly
Love, the Quest was highly important:
the code of conduct observed by a
knight errant who is wandering in
search of deeds of chivalry. This
knight is bound by a code of behavior a set of conventional principles and
expectations
• A quest is a hero’s journey towards a goal.
The objects of quests require great exertion
on the part of the hero, and the overcoming
of many obstacles.
• The hero must obtain something, or
someone, by the quest and with this object
return home.
• Usually, an inner and outer problem for the
character is set.
• The hero is introduced; audience identifies with
them
• The hero lacks something, has a tragic flaw, or a
deep wound
• The hero is “called” to action or to do something
because of duty or out of chivalry
• The “call” often produces disorientation and
discomfort for the hero
• The “call” is often in the form of a dire warning or
threat
• Excuses are used to avoid the call
• This hesitation illustrates the formidability
of the challenge ahead
• Resistance creates change and strength,
allowing the hero to grow
• A physical or metaphorical crossing is made
• The crossing is an irrevocable leap of faith,
from which there’s no turning back
•
•
•
•
The hero faces his greatest fear
The hero “dies,” so he can be reborn
The hero gains new perception
This new perception may create a moment of
clarity
• The moment may be of great self-realization for
the hero
• It may also be an epiphany for the hero’s
companions
The Hero
Is often of divine descent endowed with
great strength and ability" or "a man
admired for his achievements and
noble qualities"
Characteristics of Medieval Literature
• Romance
– Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
– 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
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Have the rules of love changed?
• The Art of Courtly Love ( twelfth century
document) listed several rules of love:
– No one can be bound by double love.
– The easy attainment of love makes it of little
value. Difficulty of attainment makes it prized
– A new love puts flight to an old one.
– If love diminishes, it quickly fails and rarely
revives
Has our basic needs/motivations changed?
•
•
•
•
Desire to survive
Look good
Attract a mate
Attempts to uphold morality
Scenario One:
• You are at a party, having a great time,
when a frightening guest crashes it. He/she
demands that someone fight him/her—if
he/she dares!
Scenario Two:
• There’s a kid at school who is an
unbearable braggart. He/she is the best at
everything!! How would you teach him/her
a lesson?
Scenario Three:
.
• Someone you are very attracted to uses
his/her sex appeal to talk you into doing
something you know is wrong.
Scenario Four:
• You have to admit you have done
something wrong in front of a large group
of your peers
The Green Knight
• He challenges King
Arthur’s knights to a
New Year’s game.
• The Green Knight wants
to exchange “one blow
for another.”
• The stranger will stand
for the first blow if the
other knight will agree to
have his turn in a year
and a day.
Sir Gawain
• Sir Gawain accepts the Green
Knight’s challenge.
• He honors his word and
searches for the knight’s
Green Chapel.
• Gawain finds a lord and his
lady on his quest who offer
him shelter on Christmas day.
• The lord has the lady tempt
Sir Gawain three times on the
rules of courtly love.
• Gawain resists--all but one
advance.
• The Green Knight reveals
himself to be the lord and
spares Gawain for his
honesty.
Poetic form and devices
• Alliterative Revival
• Bob and Wheel
– Bob: one line of two or three syllables
– Wheel: four three-stress lines
– Entire structure rhymes ababa
The Structure of the Poem
• Three Gawains Representing the Three Fitts (The
3 Steps towards Heaven):
– Courteous and brave brother of Round Table
– Flawless exemplar of Christian chivalry
– Flawed everyman
Fitt One: Characters
• Arthur: poet’s qualified approval
• Sir Gawain: representative, not
elect
• Green Knight: ambiguous nature
– Green body: supernatural
– Green and gold equipment:
courtly youth
– Holly bob: life, peace
– Axe: war
Fitt One: The Game
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Gratuitous (thus romantic, not heroic)
Governed by rules (romantic, not heroic)
Seasonable (customary Christmas drama)
Quasi-legal (rules are reiterated)
Tests important knightly virtues
Involves seemingly inevitable death
Ernest/game ambiguity makes it possible for Gawain
to treat the obligation lightly, but does not make it
right for him to do so
Fitt Two: The Process
• Midwinter: Indoors/outdoors
– Wine, feasting, celebration
– Cold, sleet, rain
• Arming of Gawain
Fitt Two: The Pentangle
• “Truth”
– “Loyal to people, principles, or promises”
– Possesses “faith in God”
– “Without deceit,” “sincere”
– “Upright and virtuous”
• The Fifth Five: Five Virtues
– Generosity, companionableness, courtesy,
pure mind, compassion
– Secular and social
– Interdependent
Fitt Two: The Journey
• Eight weeks: 11/2-12/24
• Departs on All Souls’ Day
• Four phases
–
–
–
–
Arthurian England
N. Wales (Winifred’s Well)
The Wirral
“Strange country”
• Realistic and fantastic
Fitt Three: Temptation
• Lady maneuvers based on her
misconception of Gawain –
courtesy is all
• Courtly ladies can pursue
• Kisses are not adulterous
Fitt Three: Hunt and Bed
• Day three represents a departure from the noble
conduct of days one and two.
– Deer/boar are noble; fox is ignoble
• The victim (hero). . .
– Flees an adversary (hounds/lady)
– Retreats from prospect of another adversary
(Bercilak/Green Knight)
– Succumbs to original adversary (hounds/lady)
Fitt Three: The Girdle
• Green and gold (should remind reader of Green
Knight)
• Not accepted for monetary value or beauty
• Gawain acts differently after his fall:
– Gawain goes to Confession, not Mass
– Gawain awaits host, instead of host calling
– Gawain goes first, not host
– Gawain wears blue, color of faithfulness
Fitt Three: Confession
• Shame and mortification
• Reparation: Gawain returns girdle (and it is given
back to him)
• Statement of sin: Gawain admits cowardice,
covetousness, untruth
• Request for penance -- Bercilak (Green Knight)
refuses
Fitt Three: Judgement
– Condemnation – Gawain did sin
– Mercy – Sin was from love of life, not from lower
passion or malice
– Contrasting responses show decorum
• Bercilak shows comparatively more mercy, for
Gawain is more prone to despair than to
presumption
• Gawain shows wounded pride, but is harsh on
himself
– Problem of shifting blame to women – perhaps to
make Gawain’s behavior realistic?