Middle Ages or Medieval Period 1066-1485
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Transcript of Middle Ages or Medieval Period 1066-1485
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