Culture of the M iddle Ages

1. Culture of the Middle Ages Ian Grant Grant Stouffer

2. Faith • Faith dominated all aspects of life from architecture, literature, art, and music • Even wars and crusades were fought around faith and religion • People believed that joining crusades would make them have better favor with god

3. Faith in Architecture • Most of the architecture was dedicated to Christian churches • Gargoyles were put on buildings of a way to fend of demons • Arches were very influential inside churches • The arches not only could support a lot of way but they looked very good inside the church and they were very symbolic with faith • The warship area in the middle of the church was very wide open and had massive stained glass in the front

4. Middle Ages Religious Literature • Religion was really incorporated into literature • Each story that an author wrote was about different subject that had to do with religion • The three main authors that wrote religious stories during the Middle Ages were Anselm of Canterbury, Thomas Aquinas, and Pierre Abélard • The type of writing was called Theology • Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths • Some of the religious stories were used a inspiration to men in the army

5. Medieval religious art • Religious art cam in many form from painted glass in churches, to decorated crossed, or even paintings • Most of the art was icon paintings, murals, and mosaics • The icons paintings were of Christ, the Virgin Mary, or the Saints • The murals were also of Christ but were on a much larger scale such as the whole side of a was • Mosaics were decorative art of pictures and patterns made of colored pieces of glass, marble or other materials on a bed of cement that depicted Christ or religious patterns

6. Religious music • The religious music started in the church and was used to sooth the worshippers to add background to the stories told • The music in the churches consisted of mostly an early created piano and a stringed instrument similar to a guitar • Once music caught on, lyrics were added to tell stories about Christ and other Christian disciples • After music moved from the churches, household used it for their own stories and other tales • Soldiers used music to pray before battles and to hope for good outcomes

7. Chivalry • Chivalry is the generic term for the knightly system of the Middle Ages and for virtues and qualities it inspired in its followers • Expressed the ideals of knightly virtues, honor, and courtly love • Expressed ideal moral and courteous behavior • Way of life for Christians • •Came from old French word chivalriesmeaning “Knighthood”

8. Knights Code of Chivalry • Introduced chivalrous conduct. • Went beyond chivalry in combat. • The song of Roland • Known as “Charlemagne's Code of Chivalry”

9. Knights Code of Chivalry continued… • To fear God and maintain His Church • To serve the liege lord in valor and faith • To protect the weak and defenseless • To give succor to widows and orphans • To refrain from the wanton giving of offence • To live by honor and for glory • To despise pecuniary reward • To fight for the welfare of all • To obey those placed in authority • To guard the honor of fellow knights • To eschew unfairness, meanness and deceit • To keep faith • At all times to speak the truth • To persevere to the end in any enterprise begun • To respect the honor of women • Never to refuse a challenge from an equal • Never to turn the back upon a foe

10. Literature • Religious, as well as secular work • Written languages- Latin, Greek, and Old Church Slavonic • Many written things were anonymous, believed to be not important because most stories were passed down • Authors relied on allegory to convey the morals the author had in mind while writing

11. Famous Stories • Beowulf- unknown • Beowulf defeats a monster named Grendel who has killed many men in Hrothgar’s kingdom • The Song of Roland- unknown • Brave warrior named Roland dies from Muslim army, Charlemagne calls upon god for revenge and god kills all of the Muslims. • Inspires crusaders • Divine comedy- Dante • The Canterbury Tales- Chauser

12. Religious Literature • The dominant form of literature in the middle ages • Catholic clerics were the most educated • Many hymns survived until today • Philosophical treatises- • attempting to reconcile the teachings of the Greek and Roman pagan authors with the doctrines of the Church. • Best known Jewish authors: • Maimonides • Rashi

13. Secular literature • Non-religious literature • Not as prevalent as the religious writings • Many survive until today • Subject of “courtly love” was very popular • Used to describe foreign lands to people • Used to explain and argue politics

14. Troubadours • A troubadour was a composer and performer of Old Occitan lyric poetry during the Middle Ages • Since the word "troubadour" is etymologically masculine, a female troubadour is usually called a trobairitz. • People became troubadours by going to a special troubadour school • The troubadour school or tradition began in the 11th century in Occitania, but it quickly spread through Italy, Spain, and even Greece. • Occitania was a small region in Europe that encompasses where France is now

15. Troubadour Songs • The theme of troubadour songs deal mainly with the topics of chivalry and courtly love • Many of the songs were humorous or vulgar satires • The plot in the songs were meant to make people think and they all had two meaning • The songs were all supposed to be metaphoric

16. Troubadour Styles • The troubadour songs had three different styles and many different genera’s but the canso genera was the most popular • A canso song had a first stanza called the exordium, where the composer explains his purpose. • The main body of usually drew out a variety of relationships with the exordium. • The canso ends with either a tornada or envoi that wraps up the song and ends with the audience thinking.

17. Works Cited • http://www.medieval-life.net/chivalry.htm • http://www.middle-ages.org.uk/knights-code-of-chivalry.htm • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chivarly • http://northstargallery.com/gargoyles/aboutgargoyles.htm • http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/history-of-art/medieval-christian-artworks.htm • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medieval_music • http://medievaleurope.mrdonn.org/literature.html • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medieval_literature • http://csis.pace.edu/grendel/projf981e/story.html • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troubadour