The Medieval Era
1066-1485 AD
Important Changes
Changes from Anglo-Saxon times:
• 1066 Norman Invasion – French and Latin languages are
introduced
• Rise of Middle English – less Germanic than Old English
• Development of feudalism
• Church becomes the central institution
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Important Dates
• 1066: Edward the Confessor dies; Battle of Hastings; William of
Normandy ascends
• 1154: Norman rule ends when Henry II ascends throne
• Thomas Becket appointed archbishop of Canterbury
• Henry and Becket disagree
• 1170: Some of Henry’s knights murder Becket in cathedral in
Canterbury; Henry condemns knights; takes pilgrimage to
Canterbury
• 1190: Third crusade
• 1209: Cambridge University founded
• 1215: Magna Carta
• 1337: Beginning of Hundreds Years’ War with France
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Important Dates, cont.
• 1348/49: Black Death
• 1/3 – 1/4 of population of Europe dead
• 1381: Peasants’ Revolt
• 1399: Lancaster house on throne (Henry IV, V, VI)
• 1455-85: Wars of the Roses (Lancaster vs. York)
• Henry Tudor, of the house of York, defeats Richard III
• Henry becomes Henry VII – starts a line of Tudor kings
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Medieval Society
• For many years, Medieval society was comprised of the nobility,
church, and “everyone else.”
• Chivalry is
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A code for knights
Requires knights to be brave warriors
Requires knights to be virtuous Christians
Requires knights to fight selflessly for justice
• Social system starts to change in the 1300s. Feudalism wanes, the
middle class grows
• Rise of the middle class – traders, merchants, etc.
• Greater church power leads to corruption within the Church.
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
• No author
• The story is written in Middle English and requires translation.
• This story is an example of a medieval romance. Medieval romance is
• An adventure story
• Involving characters like kings, knights, and damsels in distress
• This story is based on the legend of King Arthur. A legend is
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An anonymous traditional story
Involving heroic figures and memorable deeds
Involving quests, contests, and/or tests
Involving patterned events (e.g. three tests)
• In the excerpt we read and discussed, we see Sir Gawain’s chivalry tested through
three tests:
• Accepting the Green Knight’s challenge for King Arthur
• His encounter with the lord and lady of the castle (green girdle and kissing)
• Keeping his promise to go to the Green Chapel/letting the Green Knight bring the ax down on
his neck
The Canterbury Tales by Chaucer
• This story is not a medieval romance but rather is a collection of
stories of/from different genres.
• 24 of the 120 tales were completed.
• This collection of stories is written at the end of the 14th century in
Middle English and requires translation.
• The story is about a group of people (29 pilgrims) going on a
pilgrimage to Canterbury Cathedral. A pilgrimage is a journey to a
holy site.
• As they travel, each pilgrim agrees to tell the others two stories there.
• Each pilgrim will also tell two stories on the way back.
• The winner, meaning the pilgrim who tells the best stories, wins a feast.
*Thomas a Becket was archbishop of Canterbury! He was declared a saint after
his death in 1173, and his remains were kept at Canterbury Cathedral.
Format Traits of The Canterbury Tales
• Due to the telling of stories within the story, The Canterbury Tales is
meta-fictional as well as a framed narrative.
• Meta-fiction occurs when fiction recognizes or comments upon itself. (Also
called self-reflexivity)
• Framed narrative: When a story exists within a story.
 The characters and their stories qualify as social commentary.
 Social Commentary is writing that offers insight into society, its values, and its
customs; social commentary focuses on society’s flaws.
 Because there are so many characters in this text, it’s helpful to
examine characterization.
 Characterization is how a character is presented. Characterization may be
direct or indirect.