Medieval Period
“The Middle Ages”
1066-1485
The history of our English Language can be
divided into 3 periods:
1.
2.
3.
Old English (before 1066)
Middle English (1066-1485)
Modern English (1485-present)
Language in Transition
“Middle Ages”

Around the year 1000, Old English
pronunciation changed when distinct vowel
sounds at the ends of words were being
dropped.

Middle English differed from Old English in its
greater reliance upon fewer plural forms.
Language in Transition
“Middle Ages”

Middle English was a more analytical
language.


Stressed word order/syntax
Incorporated “function” words—verbs
French Invade England
October of 1066

Leading Normandy was Duke William or “William the
Conqueror”, who defeated and killed the last Anglo-Saxon
king. This was the beginning of the Norman Conquest.
Norman Conquest

The Norman Conquest radically changed:

English History
English Character
English Language


William the Conqueror is known for
three accomplishments:
1.
Creating the Domesday Book which was an
inventory of every piece of property in England.
2.
Bringing the French language to England



Creating a bilingual society
Upper-Class: spoke French
Lower-Class: spoke English
3. Social System known as Feudalism
Feudalism & Knighthood

Feudalism
Religious concept of
hierarchy.
GOD
KING
BARON
VASSAL
KNIGHTS
SERFS
2 Major impacts on England as a result of the
Feudal System: Form and Manners
 Form—better
known as knighthood.
 The institution of knighthood was firmly
based on the ideas of loyalty.

We will see this clearly in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.
He is honor-bound to accept a challenge that he knows
could bring death.
2nd major impact that the feudal system had on
England:


Manners
Code of Chivalry—Courtly Love
A system of ideas and behavior codes that
governed both knight
and gentlewoman.
Three aspects that make up the Code of Chivalry
Loyalty to Lord
1.

Your oath, honor, and
respect went directly to
your lord.
2.
Warfare Rule

Idea of Fairness
3.
Courtly Love

Men--mostly the knights-idolized women. They would
show this by wearing the
colors of their lady in battle, to
glorify her. This love for a
woman was thought to make
the knight a better fighter.
They were inspired by
women.
ROMANCE

Courtly Love provided ‘built-in’ drama for a poet or storyteller.

It brought about the form of literature known as a ROMANCE:
a medieval story in verse form in which a brave knight must
overcome great danger for the love of a noble lady or higher
idea.
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Composed around 1370

An unknown author
transformed the popular
romance into great art.
1.
An alliterative romance
poem. (Legend)
2. Quest—in which the
hero undertakes a
perilous journey in
search of something of
great value.


Basic narrative pattern of a
romance:
Hero
3. Supernatural event
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

In Sir Gawain you will see the pull of sexual
temptation and of life in the medieval castle.

Gawain is the model of the chivalric hero
whose character is being tested on:



Courage
Fidelity
Morality
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Purpose of Sir Gawain and the Green
Knight: teach us a moral lesson.

Theme: To achieve nobility human beings
must rely on the constant practice of a
number of virtues such as:



Courage
Honesty
Self-sacrifice
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Setting (time)
The mythical past of King Arthur’s Court.

Setting (place)
Camelot; the wilderness; Bertilak’s castle; the Green
Chapel.

Motifs
The seasons; games