6V Literature - Middle English

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 6

A Survey of English Literature

2

Middle English

Middle English literature

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

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

The Bayeux Tapestry

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

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

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

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

Medieval Drama

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

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

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

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

What is the time span of the Middle English period?

1. 1066 - 1340
2. 1066 - 1485
3. 800 - 1066
4. 1340 - 1400

Which language was spoken at court?

1. French
2. English
3. Latin

Geoffrey Chaucer also goes by other names - which?

What are the three types of Medieval Drama?

Next lesson

Read extracts of The Canterbury Tales and do assignments

Bring your notes, reader&workbook and survey!