Herhaling literature A6 OE, ME 2017

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 6

Summary English literature 

Old English 500-1100 AD

5th century conquests and Angles, Jutes and Saxon tribes

6th century Christianity accepted

end 8th century Vikings

1066 Battle of Hastings, William the Conquerer (Norman)

Language known as Old English (German, Latin, Scandinavian, French)

Old English poetry

Beowulf, best-known and best-preserved Old English verse

Epic poem of over 3000 verses

Unknown author

Work glorifies a hero, values of bravery & generosity

Story is set in Scandinavia

Old English poetry

Themes: war, death, glory, loyalty of the thane to his lord, immortal hero

Characteristics: no rhyme, no fixed rhythmitical patterns, lines are divided by ceasura (full stop) 

Oral tradition: literary works were not written down, orally transmitted

(were mostly sung)

Short summary of Beowulf 

King Hrothgar of Denmark has built a great hall (Heorot)

Warriors come together in this hall, eat, drink and listen to stories

A monster, Grendel, attacks the hall & warriors

For years the Danes are terrified because of monster Grendel

A young warrior, called Beowulf, sails to Denmark & conquers Grendel      Later he also kills Grendel's revengeful mother 

The ME period

Nobility spoke French, Clergy Latin

Feudal system

Common people spoke Middle English Dialect

Plays about scenes from the bible

Courtly Love

ME literature

Geoffrey Chaucer 

Born in London 1340

Reasonably well to do

Married a rich woman of important family

He had a career at court 

The Canterbury Tales

• Frame-story: Pilgrimage to Canterbury by a group of pilgrims
• Every Pilgrim tells a story to kill time
• Link: laughter & comment of the pilgrims and their host Henry Bailey on these stories


• Pilgrims: A cross-section of medieval English society (nobility, clergy and commoners)
• A panorama of medieval life


• Remained incomplete at Chaucer's death : 24 tales
• Life on earth preparation for life after death. 

The Canterbury Tales

• General Prologue: all pilgrims are presented individually
• Individuality is remarkable in 14th century
• Chaucer presents the pilgrims with gentle irony
• Pilgrims travelled in groups & stay at an inn, travelling was dangerous
• Written in the London dialect. 

The Reeve's Tale: characters

Simkin, the dishonest and agressive miller

His wife of noble kin

His 21 year old daughter, a virgin

his 1,5 year old baby son

Two students Alan and John from Cambridge College

Important scenes in the Reeve 's Tale

Daughter was a virgin and should marry a rich man

Simkin was a thief, stole whatever he could get

Students wanted to prevent him stealing their corn

Simkin chased away students' horse, which they had to chase

Students stayed the night and slept with his wife & daughter

In the end students took the corn Simkin had stolen and tricked him as he had tricked them