The Medieval Period (Pg 22)

1. The Medieval Period (Pg 22) 1066-1485 1066-Norman Conquest—William the Conqueror defeats Harold at Hastings, becomes king of England Medieval Period—Middle ages

2. Feudalism • William introduced feudalism—a political and economic system in which the hierarchy of power was based on the premise that the king owned all the land in the kingdom. • ¼ for King; ¼ for church; ½ to nobles or barons who supplied the king with warriors called knights

3. Serfs • Conquered Anglo-Saxons that were bound to the land they could not own • Did not speak French, the language of the nobles • Spoke a mixture of French and English known as Middle English that adapted into the language we speak today

4. --Economics--DOMESDAY BOOK • 1085—For tax purposes, William ordered the compilation of a detailed survey of the land and population of England • A modern day Census • Translates to “day of judgment”

5. --Sociology—Women’s Rights • A woman’s status was based on her husband or father’s position in society • She held husband’s rank • Remained subservient to the husband • Men maintained all the property and wealth • Women ran the house, sewed, weaved, cooked

6. --Architecture—CATHEDRALS • Romanesque—Massive, richly decorated • Took decades or centuries to build • Built in gratitude to God • Built as acts of penitence • Built along pilgrimage routes • Churches became the most corrupt institution of the Medieval Period

7. --History—THE CRUSADES • 1096-1270 • The Christian response to the expansion of Islam into the holy land of Jerusalem • 8 major expeditions • For the Knights these were part Holy War, part pilgrimage, and sometimes profitable

8. --History—THE CRUSADES The Children’s Crusades of 1212 • Legend has it that a boy was visited by Jesus and told to convert the Muslims to Christianity • He gained a following of 30,000 children who followed him towards the Holy Land • The waters of the Marseilles would not part and the children were sold into slavery

9. Literary History • Common folk relied on oral tradition to tell stories • Ballads—Brief narrative poems sung to musical accompaniment • Mystery and Miracle Plays—which dramatized episodes from the Bible and from saint’s lives • Morality Plays—Taught moral lessons

10. --Law—PARLIAMENT • Edward I--The king’s Great Council • Meeting place or talking place for nobles, knights and clergy • Became a representation for townships akin to the democratic process we use

11. King Henry II • Sent four loyal knights to murder Thomas a’ Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury • Reformed the judicial system • Established a system of juries • Initiated English common laws • Becket quickly became a saint, his shrine a popular pilgrimage destination

12. How to Become a Saint • You have to be close to God • Help the poor • Be good and kind to people when you are alive • Perform two miracles after you have passed away.

13. King Henry II • His wife brought the ideas of chivalry, a code of honor among knights • The code encouraged knights to protect ladies and go on holy quests (Crusades) • His son was Richard I, called “Richard the Lion-Hearted” • Richard fought in the crusades, his brother John plotted against him (Robin Hood)

14. Decline of Feudalism • Growth of towns and population of commoners • Increase in trade due to Crusades • Guilds formed to stabilize prices and set rules for advancement of craftsmen pg 24

15. Plague • Crowding and poor sanitation • Rats and fleas imported from cargo ships • Black Death (Bubonic Plague) killed a third of England’s population in 1300’s • “Bring out your dead!”

16. Plague Rap • Ring around the rosie- ring-like sores that formed on people's skin.Pockets full of posies- Flowers that were stuffed into pockets to ward off the stenchAshes, ashes, we all fall down- ashes alludes to the funeral pyres ashes and the falling down was everybody dying

17. Romances • Tales of chivalric knights, many featured King Arthur and his round table • Sir Gawain and the Green Knight • Le Morte d’Arthur (The death of Arthur) by Sir Thomas Malory

18. Geoffrey Chaucerpg 106 • 1340?-1400 • The “Father of English Literature” • “Chaucer” is French for shoemaker • 1357—Became an attendant for the Prince’s wife • 1359—French POW in 100 yr war, ransomed by the court

19. Geoffrey Chaucer • As the King’s messenger, he traveled to Italy (Dante) and France (The Romance of the Rose) • The Parliament of Fowls—commemorated the wedding of Richard II • 1386—Became a Knight • King Henry IV took over but Chaucer remained in the court

20. Geoffrey Chaucer • 1400—Died; (possibly from the Plague) Buried in London’s Westminster Abbey (Poet’s Corner—John Dryden, Tennyson, Robert Browning) • Did not complete all the Canterbury Tales

21. The Canterbury Tales • 1387—A collection of verse and prose tales told by pilgrims traveling to Canterbury to see the shrine of Saint Thomas a’ Becket • Unfinished at the time of Chaucer’s death • Chaucer portrayed himself in the tale as a short, plump pilgrim

22. The Prologue(Introduction) Vocabulary words • accrue, agility, courtliness, defer, diligent, disdain, dispatch, eminent, frugal, malady, mode, personable, repine, sedately, wield

23. The Prologue • Tone—writer’s attitude toward the work’s subject or characters (ironic, satiric, humorous…) • Characterization—the means by which a writer develops a character’s personality (description, speech, thoughts, actions…)

24. Pilgrimage • Generally began with a priest’s blessing • Wore clothing that identified them as pilgrims • Stayed in roadside hospices • Walked or road horses, roads became very muddy when wet • Could buy a small badge of cast pewter as a souvenir

25. The Prologue • Social Diversity, a microcosm • Chaucer describes the 29 pilgrims, providing insight into the larger society • Narrative poem—more formal than most poems of the 14th century • Poetic verse form—rhymed and iambic pentameter • Opens with an apostrophe or address to spring

26. Stop Here

27. The Prologue • Zephyrus—Greek god of west wind • Ram—Astrology—indicates a reference to 14th century “science” • This narrative poem was directed towards the noble class, not the commoners • Setting—Begins in London (not Canterbury) • Medieval England was experiencing a warming period

28. The Prologue • Setting—Begins across the Thames River, where, 200 years later, Shakespeare’s Globe Theater will be erected • Tabard Inn (Drum)—you beat a drum when you want people to join you • Harry Bailey is the Innkeeper • 100 miles to Canterbury • 4-day journey by horse

29. The Prologue • Purpose of trip is as much social as religious—Spring Break • Travel in a band for safety (Brigands and Highwaymen) • Harry Bailey decrees that each pilgrim will provide 4 tales (29 X 4 =116) • Winner will get a “free” dinner • Generally, the best tales come from the worst people

30. The Prologue • Each pilgrim is a stereotype of their profession (priests are priestly, knights are knightly…) • But some are mixed with irony • The Knight—Chivalrous, noble, returned from the Crusades • The Knight’s son—a Squire—a lady’s man • The Yeoman—an attendant to the knight

31. The Prologue (Nun) • The Nun Prioress • Madam Eglantyne • Speaks French • Eats delicately • Weep if she saw a mouse in a trap • Lap dogs that dine better than the population • Fine features (a broad forehead)

32. The Prologue (pg 134-136)The HOST • Host—Harry Bailey, Innkeeper of Tabard • Description: Jovial, generous, self-confidant, wide girth • Proposes that each pilgrim share two tales on way to Canterbury, two on way back • Winner get a supper, paid by all • Offers to come along and be judge • Drew lots to decide who begins the tales

33. The Prologue (Nun) • Forehead should have been modestly covered by a wimple, equivalent of showing legs • Broach “Love conquers all”, should say “religion conquers all” • She is a hypocrite but Chaucer only winks at her sins, Christianity is all inclusive

34. The Prologue • Tone—detached and ironic • Tone—Harry Bailey understates the greed and hypocrisy, allows readers to draw their own conclusions • Example, The Nun Prioress: Her sexy forehead, feeding her dogs meat and milk, her broach “Amor vincit omnia” (Love conquers all)

35. The Pardoner’s Prologue (pg 142-151) Vocabulary Words ADVERSARY, AVARICE, CASTIGATE, COVETOUSNESS, PALLOR, PARLEY, SAUNTER, TRANSCEND, VERMIN, WARY

36. The Pardoner’s Prologue (pg 142-151) • Very honest about his dishonesty • Theme: Radix malorum est cupiditas (love of money is the root of all evil—Bible translated from Hebrew to Latin) • Avarice and cupidity—Greed (avarice is one of the seven deadly sins)

37. The Pardoner’s Prologue • Seems contemptuous toward those to whom he preaches (ie. “They can go blackberrying, for all I care!”) • “And thus I preach against the very vice I make my living out of—avarice.” (Irony) • Verse 55—For though I am a wholly vicious man, don’t think I can’t tell moral tales. I can!” example of _____________

38. The Pardoner’s Prologue Hypocrisy

39. The Pardoner’s Tale (pg 144-151) • Three rowdy drunks hear a coffin bell • Tell the tavern nave to report back • Dead man was a friend of theirs (plague) • Death as a thief is an example of _______ • Verses 79-81, “Be on guard…” is an example of this literary technique_______

40. The Pardoner’s Tale • Personification • Foreshadowing

41. The Pardoner’s Tale • The rioters make a pact (brotherhood) that they will kill this traitor Death • Encountered an old man, the three were very disrespectful (verse 114) • Old man responds—I can’t find one who would change his youth to have my age • Verse 130—implores Mother earth to open up for him (personification)

42. The Pardoner’s Tale • The gambler accuses the old man of collaborating with death • The old man directs the rioters to death, sitting under an oak tree • They found a pile of gold florins (coins) • Verse 178—Fortune means “Fate” • Verse 182—”our lucky day” (Irony and foreshadowing)

43. The Pardoner’s Tale • One rioter is chosen to go to town for food • The two remaining conspire against the young man (parley—discussion) • Plotted to stab him with daggers • Young man bought poison from the apothecary (pharmacist) • Poured poison into two of the three wine bottles

44. The Pardoner’s Tale • When the young man returned, his brothers slew him • They celebrated by drinking the poisoned wine—they perished • The Pardoner addresses the pilgrims (verse 299) • He offers to absolve their sins for a price • You may fall off your horse and break your neck—scare tactic

45. The Wife of BathPrologue • Reread lines 455-486 of Prologue, pg 125, Introduction of Wife of Bath • A worthy woman from Bath city (a well-known health resort, mineral springs) • A seamstress, a Gold digger • 5 husbands at the church door • Well-traveled: Rome, Jerusalem… • Gap-tooth, large hips, liked to laugh

46. The Wife of BathPrologue • This tale belongs to the Marriage Group • Also a Medieval Romance • The battle of the sexes • She cautions us about marriage

47. The Wife of BathPrologue—Vocabulary pg 154 • Abominably, bequeath, concede, contemptuous, cosset, crone, dejected • Ecstasy, implore, maim, prowess, rebuke, statute, temporal, tribulation

48. The Wife of Bath Prologue • setting: King Arthur’s days • A magical time of elves and fairies • Verbal irony—lines 39-56 (religion has replaced fantasy) • What was the wife of Bath’s attitude toward Friars? (incubus)

49. The Wife of Bath Tale • A knight who was a lusty liver • Took her maidenhead (raped her) • Punishment was to be loss of head because code of chivalry was broken

50. The Wife of Bath • Queen implored the king for leniency • Queen gave the knight a chance to live if he could answer the question • “What is the thing that women most desire?” one year and a day