6V Literature - Middle English

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Slide 1: Slide

EngelsMiddelbare schoolvwoLeerjaar 6

This lesson contains 22 slides, with interactive quizzes, text slides and 2 videos.

Lesson duration is: 50 min

Items in this lesson

Slide 1 - Slide

A Survey of English Literature

Middle English

Slide 2 - Slide

Middle English literature

Slide 3 - Mind map

The Middle English Period

1066-1485: (later) Medieval England
The Norman Conquest
Social change: the feudal system
A long war in France: the Hundred Years' War (1337-1453)
A bloody war at home: the Wars of the Roses (1455-1485)
1485: beginning of the Tudor Period
Linguistic change: a new language

Slide 4 - Slide

The Norman Conquest

1066: the Battle of Hastings
The Anglo-Saxons (King Harold) vs. the Normans (Duke William of Normandy)
The Bayeux Tapestry
England becomes a feudal state
land - church - town
nobles and serfs - clergymen - craftsmen and tradesmen

Slide 5 - Slide

The Bayeux Tapestry

Slide 6 - Slide

Slide 7 - Video

Middle English (1) - History

1066 - c. 1300: two languages side by side
Norman French: language of court, government, the law and trade
Old English: language of the common people (peasants, townspeople)
the two slowly merge into one language
c. 1300: Middle English
c. 1480: towards (Early) Modern English

Slide 8 - Slide

Middle English (2) - Characteristics

Many regional dialects
A merger of Old English and Norman French
Basic vocabulary is (Old) English > words connected with the body and basic human needs
Many French words imported into the language (language of court, law, government, trade)
simplified grammar
end 15th c. : a new standard language emerges

Slide 9 - Slide

Middle English Literature

Most works of literature are anonymous

One name stands out: Geoffrey Chaucer

c. 1340 - 1400
the father of English literature / the father of the English language
A courtier and a diplomat (foreign travels)
main work: The Canterbury Tales

Slide 10 - Slide

The Canterbury Tales

Frame-story
Group of pilgrims on their way to Canterbury > the shrine of the martyr St. Thomas Becket
A cross-section of medieval English society (nobility, clergy and commoners)
A panorama of medieval life
Examples of many medieval literary genres
Remained incomplete at Chaucer's death

Slide 11 - Slide

Slide 12 - Slide

Medieval Drama

Mainly religious in character > gradually more and more secular elements are introduced

Slide 13 - Slide

Medieval Drama

Mystery plays

cycles of plays based on biblical stories
performed by guilds on waggons (pageants)
meant to be instructive as well as entertaining

Miracle plays

on the lives and deaths of saints

Morality plays

Slide 14 - Slide

Morality plays

Characteristics of medieval morality plays

performed by travelling players
allegorical (no real-life characters, but personified abstractions)
instructive > teach a Christian moral lesson

Slide 15 - Slide

Everyman

Most famous example in English: Everyman

translation of a Dutch original: Elckerlyc
typically Christian moral: man can only be saved by performing good deeds in life

Slide 16 - Slide

Slide 17 - Video

What is the time span of the Middle English period?

1066 - 1340

1066 - 1485

800 - 1066

1340 - 1400

Slide 18 - Quiz

Which language was spoken at court?

French

English

Latin

Slide 19 - Quiz

Geoffrey Chaucer also goes by other names - which?

Slide 20 - Open question

What are the three types of Medieval Drama?

Slide 21 - Open question

Next lesson

Read extracts of The Canterbury Tales and do assignments

Bring your notes, reader&workbook and survey!

Slide 22 - Slide