Middle Ages or Medieval Period

1066-1485

King Edward died without leaving a clear

successor. He promised two-three people

the kingdom. The final battle occurs at

Hastings, England in 1066 between

William of Normandy and

Harold of Wessex.

William of Normandy (aka the Conqueror)

becomes the new king of England in 1066 Accomplishments: Built castles in

England, including the Tower of London Wrote Domesday

Book,which was a book of property

Instituted Feudalism Incorporated French language Bayeaux Tapestry

Feudalism,

a system of

hierarchy

Stone castles and monasteries

popped up all over the English

countryside. The Normans even

imported stone from France.

William's half brother, Odo, Bishop of Bayeux,

commissioned a tapestry to commemorate his

brother's victory—now called the Bayeux

Tapestry— hand sewn cloth and embroidery

76.6 yards long depicting William's victory at

Hastings.

William changed England's laws and

inflicted harsh punishments for offenders.

Murder became a punishable crime in

England and slavery was abolished.

Oldest surviving public

record.

Used to settle land

disputes and assess

taxes.

William wanted to know

who owned what, how

much it was worth, and

how much was owed to

him as King in tax, rents,

and military service.

The Domesday

Book

Language influences:

The combination of French (Norman) and Old English became Middle English -- the first time the English language was really beginning to have the vocabulary it has today.

Anglo-Saxon Origin Words Old French Origin Words

Cow (Old English Cū) Beef (Anglo-Norman Beof; Old French Boef)

Calf (Old English Cealf) Veal (Anglo-Norman Vel; Old French Veel, Veal)

Swine (Old English Swīn) Pork (Old French Porc)

Sheep (Old English Scēap) / Lamb (Old English Lamb) Mutton (Old French Moton)

Hen (Old English Hen, Henn) / Chicken (Old English Cicen)

Poultry (Old French Pouletrie)

Deer (Old English Dēor) Venison (Old Norman Venesoun)

Informationfrom http://en.wikip dia.org/wiki/Li t_of_English words_with_d al_French_an _AngloSaxon _variations

• Old Saxon Origin

• kingly• ask• lord• bring/bear• smell• uphold• buy• eld• belief• weep• lawyer• shirt• fall• hue• darling• forgive• folk• drink (n)

• Old French Origin

• royal• enquire (inquire)• liege• carry• odor• support• purchase• age• faith• cry• attorney• blouse• autumn• colour• favourite• pardon• people• beverage

Informationfrom http://en.wikip dia.org/wiki/Li t_of_English words_with_d al_French_an _AngloSaxon _variations

Geoffrey Chaucer

Considered the “Father of English literature. Keen observer of human nature Author of our major piece of literature, The Canterbury Tales. Wrote C.T. as a satire to criticize the corruption of the Church.

Writing Style

• Unusual to choose Middle English for literature during this time—literary works usually written in Latin or French

• Because Middle English considered ordinary, it might seem Chaucer's intended audience was the general population, not nobility

The Canterbury Tales

“The Prologue” describes

29 peopletheir occupationtheir clothing, their temperamenttheir flaws (sins)

according to Chaucer, who is the 30th traveler

Chaucer wanted todepict people fromdifferent backgroundstraveling together.

Canterbury Cathedral

These people, or pilgrims, were going to the shrine of St. Thomas a Becket, the martyred priest of Canterbury Cathedral.

They either were going to pay their respect or ask for a blessing by touching the tomb of the dead priest (archbishop).

Summary of “The Prologue

The pilgrims meet up at the

Tabard Inn and are traveling

together for protection.

The host of the inn decides

to go also and proposes

an activity to pass the time

away while they are traveling

• Any guesses on what kind of contest?

A storytelling contest.

Each pilgrim would tell 2

stories on the way and 2

stories on the way back.

• The innkeeper would judge the stories and the winner would get a prize paid for by the others—a nice, hot supper when they got back to the Tabard Inn

How many stories would Chaucer have if he had completed them all?

• 116 • But Chaucer died only having completed

• “The Prologue”

• Twenty stories

• Two unfinished stories

Another look at

Old English

Whan that Aprill, with his shoures sooteThe droghte of March hath perced to the roote

And bathed every veyne in swich licour,Of which vertu engendred is the flour;

Whan Zephirus eek with his sweete breethInspired hath in every holt and heeth

The tendre croppes, and the yonge sonneHath in the Ram his halfe cours yronne,

And smale foweles maken melodye, That slepen al the nyght with open eye(So priketh hem Nature in hir corages);

Thanne longen folk to goon on pilgrimagesAnd palmeres for to seken straunge strondes

To ferne halwes, kowthe in sondry londes;And specially from every shires ende

Of Engelond, to Caunterbury they wende,The hooly blisful martir for to seke

That hem hath holpen, whan that they were seeke.

First eighteen lines of “The Prologue” in Middle English

When in April the sweet showers fallThat pierce March's drought to the root and allAnd bathed every vein in liquor that has power

To generate therein and sire the flower;When Zephyr also has with his sweet breath,

Filled again, in every holt and heath,The tender shoots and leaves, and the young sun

His half course in the sign of the Ram has run,And many little birds make melody

That sleep through all the night with open eye(So Nature pricks them on to ramp and rage)

Then folk do long to go on pilgrimage,And palmers to go seeking out strange strands,To distant shrines well known in distant lands.

And specially from every shire's endOf England they to Canterbury went,

The holy blessed martyr there to seekWho helped them when they lay so ill and weak

Translation

Satire: a literary element in literature ridiculing or

poking fun of an institution (religion, gov't,

education, etc.) in the hopes of changing it

using wit, sarcasm, or irony.

Irony: a literary element that depicts a difference/ contradiction in what is said/meant; what is said/done; what is expected/happens