Unit 5: From Decay to Rebirth
The Middle Ages: A.D. 450-1300
The Lay of the Werewolf
Medieval Romance Saga
• A romance is a narrative that tells of strange, sometimes
supernatural, events in exotic settings.
• In the Middle Ages, the term referred to the tales that
depicted the heroic deeds and courtly love of noble knights
and ladies.
• Today, the genre has expanded to include any work that
features idealized characters in an exotic setting, particularly
one that focuses on a struggle between good and evil.
Medieval Romance Saga(cont’d)
• Chivalry is the real core of the medieval romance.
• Courtly love is an important element of chivalry;
for this reason, romance sagas are sometimes
known as chivalric romances or courtly
romances.
• The main characters of the romance saga were
usually kings, knights or a brave warrior who
follows the chivalric code of behavior: values of
courage, virtue, piety, loyalty to a ruler, and the
idealized love of a noble lady.
Medieval Romance Saga
• The Medieval Romance Saga is characterized by
the key features:
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Romance Hero
A Heroic Quest
Supernatural Elements
Symbols and Archetypes
• Examples of Medieval Romance Sagas: The
Legend of King Arthur, and Sir Gawain and the
Green Knight.
Focus Questions
• How are the characteristics of a legend similar
to the characteristics of an epic?
• What makes the two genres different?
Author background
Marie de France
• Works were crucial to the development of short
stories.
• Was well-educated, and a member of nobility.
• Works combined elements of the classical, Christian,
and Celtic traditions (a hero, who travels to a magical
land, and learns the secrets of Christianity).
• Works were often a radical departure from the time
period. Her works often promoted that a man and
woman should marry because of genuine love versus
an arrangement based on politics and economics.
Literary elements (revisited)
• Archetypes: details, plot patterns, character
types, or themes that appear in the literature
of many different cultures.
• Examples of archetypes might be:
• 1. A quest: the pursuit of someone or
something of great importance.
• 2. Disguised identity: Characters use
disguises, transformations, and tricks to hide
their true identities.
Literary Elements (revisited)
• Symbols: a person, a place, an animal, or an
object that has its own meaning but also
suggests a larger meaning.
• Example: a rose may represent love.
• In medieval literature, the entire story centers
on a symbol.
The Lay of the Werewolf
Essential Questions
• Why have people chosen the wolf as the form
that evil humans often take when they turn
into beasts?
• Based on the two types of Archetypes
mentioned, what type is this short story?