Title: The Anglo-Saxon Period and the Middle Ages Introduction to the Literary Period
1The Anglo-Saxon Period and the Middle
AgesIntroduction to the Literary Period
Feature Menu
Fast Facts Key Concept The Anglo-Saxon
Legacy Key Concept The Normans Invade
Britain Key Concept Life in Medieval
Society Your Turn
2Key Concept The Normans Invade Britain
History of the Times
- In the Norman invasion of 1066, William the
Conqueror defeats the Anglo-Saxons.
- To squash revolts, William divided the land among
his loyal barons and built castles around the
country.
- By establishing a social structure called
feudalism, William created a hierarchy of rulers
under one lord and a network of thousands of
knights sworn to serve him.
3Key Concept The Normans Invade Britain
William the Conqueror
- a duke from Normandy, France, claimed the English
throne had been promised to him
- crosses the English Channel with a huge army
- defeats King Harold and the Anglo-Saxons at the
Battle of Hastings
4Key Concept The Normans Invade Britain
The Normans Change England
- land divided among Williams followers from
Normandy
- more contact with European civilization
- French replaces English as language of the ruling
class
- Normans add law and order to Anglo-Saxons
democratic and artistic achievements
5Key Concept The Normans Invade Britain
Feudalism
- social, economic, and military system
- based on a religious concept of rank
- some vassals appointed by king in return for
loyalty
- lords (powerful vassals) appoint their own
vassals
6Key Concept The Normans Invade Britain
Knights in Shining Armor
- provided military service to lords
- began training at an early age
- wore very heavy armor into battle
- followed a code of chivalry
7Key Concept Life in Medieval Society
History of the Times
- Medieval society was dependent on strictly
defined social classesnobility, knights,
priests, merchants, and peasants.
- The contributions of each group affected how well
villages and towns prospered.
- Villages, built around castles, were the
fundamental center of medieval society.
- Social mobility was nearly impossible in the
Middle Ages. Social rank remained fixed.
8Key Concept Life in Medieval Society
The Middle Ages
This illustration from the Golf Book of Hours
shows peasants taking a break from their work in
the fields.
The bulk of society consisted of laborers.
Peasants owned their land serfs did not. Serfs
were little more than slaves to their overlords.
9Key Concept Life in Medieval Society
Growth of Cities and Towns
- most merchants and artisans lived in villages
- merchant classpeople earn their own money
- villagers viewed themselves as having more
freedom for art
- townspeoples tastes influence arts, ballads,
plays, and so on
10Key Concept Life in Medieval Society
Social Status
- Regardless of how hard a merchant worked or how
much money an artisan earned, social status was
fixed.
- A familys only hope was to apprentice a son to a
higher vocation or marry up a daughter to a
husband from a higher class.
11Key Concept Life in Medieval Society
Literature of the Times
- Some medieval writers began to use the
vernacular, or language of the people.
- Works written in English, such as ballads and
romances, helped to define Englands identity.
- A new literary formthe romancebecomes popular,
reflecting the concepts of courtly love and
chivalry.
- Scholarly works from monasteries and universities
reflect societys interest in moral instruction
and morality plays.
12Key Concept Life in Medieval Society
The Romance
- inspired by legends of chivalrous knights
- hero goes on quest to conquer evil enemy
- hero often has magical help
Malorys Le Morte dArthur (from a 14th c
manuscript)
- includes stories of distant, idealized courtly
love
13Key Concept Life in Medieval Society
Courtly Love
The knight
- adored the lady and was inspired by her
- glorified the lady in words
The lady
- remained pure and out of reach
- was set above her admirer
14Key Concept Life in Medieval Society
Code of Chivalry
A code of conduct that covered
- whom to defendknights lord, the king, and the
Christian faith
- how to treat a ladycourtly love
- how to resist the urge to run away if captured
15The Prologue to The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey
Chaucer
Chaucers Canterbury Pilgrims (1810) by William
Blake. Engraving.
The Canterbury Tales
16The Prologue to The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey
Chaucer
Click on the title to start the video.
17The Prologue to The Canterbury Tales Introducing
the Selection
Take a Tour
If you went on a tour today, what types of
people would you meet? Do you think you might
come across a character or two?
Chaucers characters are the kinds of people he
would have known in real life and observed riding
toward Canterbury on the old pilgrimage road.
18The Prologue to The Canterbury Tales Introducing
the Selection
Chaucer used the East Midland dialect of Middle
English. This dialect was the most common
colloquial language at the time and became the
basis for modern English.
19The Prologue to The Canterbury Tales Introducing
the Selection
Twenty-nine pilgrims are on their way to the
shrine of Saint Thomas à Becket in Canterbury.
The time is April, and the place is the Tabard
Inn in Southwark (SUTH erk), just outside London.
London
Canterbury
End of Section
20The Prologue to The Canterbury Tales Literary
Focus Characterization
Chaucer uses indirect characterization when he
tells how each character
This yeoman wore a coat and hood of green,And
peacock-feathered arrows, bright and keen
Her greatest oath was only By St. Loy!
And gladly would he learn, and gladly teach.
21The Prologue to The Canterbury Tales Literary
Focus Characterization
Chaucer also uses direct characterization, when
he comes right out and tells us what a
characters nature isvirtuous, vain, clever, and
so on.
There was a Friar, a wanton one and merry,A
Limiter, a very festive fellow. In all Four
Orders there was none so mellow, So glib with
gallant phrase and well-turned speech.
End of Section
22The Prologue to The Canterbury Tales Literary
Focus Frame Story
A frame story is a literary device that binds
together several different narratives. It is a
story that contains other stories.
- In The Canterbury Tales, the Prologue serves as
the frame story.
- The Prologue introduces each pilgrim and
describes the journey they will all begin the
next day.
23The Prologue to The Canterbury Tales Literary
Focus Frame Story
Following the Prologue, the characters tell their
own stories.
- The pilgrims tales are stories within the frame.
- Their individual stories are united by the frame.
- Each tale has its own theme that supports the
theme of the larger work.
End of Section
24The Prologue to The Canterbury Tales Reading
Focus Analyzing Style Key Details
With twenty-nine pilgrims to introduce, Chaucer
couldnt develop any one character at great
length. Instead, he provides a few well-chosen
details to make each character stand out vividly.