The Middle Ages a.k.a. The Medieval Period

1. The Middle Agesa.k.a. The Medieval Period A.D. 1066-1485

2. Battle of Hastings Harold of Wessex claims the throne, which should have gone to Duke William of Normandy. William reclaims what is rightfully his and takes over the country…and so begins the Middle Ages!

3. Feudalism After 1066, the Normans brought their social system, known as feudalism, to the Anglo-Saxons. Under the system of feudalism, English society was developed into a clear hierarchy.

4. The Feudal Hierarchy

5. The Domesday Book Then: The Domesday book reinforced the feudal hierarchy because it was used to determine: • taxes • feudal rights • feudal duties Today: It provides specific historical facts and details concerning medieval estates and landowners, thus giving historians a view into the day-to-day material life of medieval England.

6. Chivalry…is it really dead? The code of chivalry was central to Medieval society.

7. Chivalry Knights pledged: • To be loyal to their lords • To honor women • To protect the weak • To right injustices and wrongs • To defend the Christian faith * Note: The chivalric code raised the role of women in medieval society, but, in reality, it was more professed than acted. It did, though, lessen the harshness of life during this period in history.

9. Conflict and Plague The Crusades The Magna Carta The Black Death The Rise of Cities The Hundred Years’ War What do these five events have in common?

10. Answer: All five events WEAKENED the feudal system: • The Crusades: FINANCING-- heavy taxes hurt the wealthy; sold privileges of self-government to towns • The Magna Carta: limited the power of the king and protected the rights of citizens • The Black Death: 1/3 population dies… • The Rise of Cities: …serfs escape feudal lords and go to cities; wages rise because of the labor shortage– higher wages for workers and lower income for landlords (shift in feudal structure) • The Hundred Years’ War: invention of weaponry weakens positions of knights and castles

11. The Hundred Years’ War Positively impacted England because… • The break with France helped England develop its own identity • English became the language of the nobility and the courts.

12. Literature of the Medieval Period • Flourishes because more people speak English (vs. French & Latin—disappearing as feudal system becomes obsolete) • Alliterative verse is replaced by French style of end-rhyme (ballads) • Invention of the printing press increases literacy/more works published and read

13. Anglo-Saxon Herov. Medieval Hero Anglo-Saxon Medieval • Feelings and weaknesses • Love for an idealized woman makes hero a better person (courtly love) • Real • Superhuman strength • Loyalty to kinsman and king makes hero a better person • Perfect • Admirable • Loyal • Willingness to fight

14. Languages of the Medieval Period In legal trouble and need to defend yourself? In love with a woman of noble birth and needed to speak with her family? You need… FRENCH! In dealing with the nobility or the courts, a person would need to know the French language.

15. Languages of the Medieval Period Want to engage in a theological debate? Want to pursue a formal study of literature? You need… LATIN! One needed to know Latin in communications relating to the church, business, or scholarship.

16. Languages of the Medieval Period Want to tell a joke to your next door neighbors? Want to give your condolences to a family that just lost three sons to the plague? You need… ENGLISH! English was used to communicate with the majority of the common people.

17. Middle English (Anglo-Saxon Period: Old English) Medieval Period: Middle English During the Medieval period, the English language was strongly influenced by the French language. Grammar and spelling became more simplified and more similar to the language we use today.

18. Middle English Whan that Aprille with his shoores soote Wan thot A'prill with his sure-es so-tuh The drought of March hath perced to the roote The drewgt of March hath pear-said to the row-tuh And bathed every vein in swich liquor And ba-thed every vane in sweech lee-coor Of which vertu engendred is the flour Of wheech ver-too en-jen-dred is the flu-er

19. The Canterbury Tales In The Canterbury Tales, a group of pilgrims go on a journey to visit the shrine dedicated to Thomas Becket.

20. Thomas a Becket • Archbishop of Canterbury • Opposed the king’s efforts to establish royal rights over the church (church v. state) • King Henry, displeased by Becket’s opposition, said “will no one rid me of this turbulent priest?” • Taking Henry’s words literally, four knights murdered Becket while he was praying in Canterbury Cathedral.

21. BALLADS • Ballad: rhymed verse that was recited or sung for the purpose of entertainment • Themes: • Murderous acts and the desire for revenge • Tragic accidents and sudden disasters • Heroic deeds motivated by the quest for honor • Jealous sweethearts and unrequited love

22. BALLADS • Dramatization of a single incident • Little reflection or expression of sentiment • Dialogue (or questions and answers) that further the story/advance the plot • A strong, simple beat and uncomplicated rhyme scheme

23. Ballads • Use of the refrain, a regularly repeated line or phrase at the end of a stanza • A tendency to suggest rather than directly state • Stories that were often based on actual events

24. Welcome to the Medieval Unit of British Literature!