hla wyklad 2

Middle English Literature Paulina Surniak

The Normans 

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Normans (contraction for Norsemen) were Germanic invaders who took over the north of France and adopted the language Great builders of castles Brought their language (French) and culture Brought feudalism Doomsday Book – a record of the feudal obligation of each vassal London gains importance 12th century – the University of Oxford is founded 13th century – the Parliament and the Magna Carta

1066 –Middle English period begins Political changes

Social changes

Big island becomes attached to a small unit in the continent – a paradox

Feudal system

William’s son and grandson spend much of their time in France (absentee rulers)

New aristocracy is created

Conflicts of language French taste in literature and arts

Feudalism  

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very hierarchical system King makes gifts of land to lords (his retainers/knights) Lords pay king taxes and tributes (gifts) Lords own land; allow free peasants to work the land Free peasants pay lords rents, fees (for grinding grain for example), etc. Villeins (essentially slaves) employed by free peasants as laborers; essentially owned by the lord (they came with the land) No Wages (until Black Death created a labor shortage)

England - an interesting mix of languages

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Latin: language of church and learning French: language of court (changed by intermarriage) Old/Middle English: native language Celtic languages: still spoken in Ireland, Cornwall, Wales

Early Middle English – 12th century    

Early Middle English literature – in Latin, some works in French Education – in Latin First medieval drama in the vernacular – The Play of Adam Mostly religious

Literature in English 

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Appears in the end of 12th century Mostly of popular origin = simple language Wide diversity of tones, subjects, styles and genres The hero is not idealised Women are included

Courtly love 

A cult of romantic love between the sexes within the ruling class

Related to the social position of women in feudal aristocracy

Courtly love 

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Adoration and respect of gallant and courageous knight for a beautiful, intelligent noblewoman who remains pure, chaste and unattainable He performs noble deeds for her (she ignores him or cannot reciprocate) He suffers terribly but knows he cannot consummate his love without destroying the object of his desire—her purity and his respect He keeps secret his love; wears her scarf or glove into battle She is often married—pointing out the incompatibility between love and marriage Lover welcomes suffering because it ennobles him and spurs him on to great things

The reality for women   

Love, honor and obey Women were property (of fathers, then husbands, then sons) If a wife or daughter disobeyed, she was beaten: "A horse whether good or bad, needs a lord and master—and sometimes a stick." Or, as the priest Robert d’Abrissel said, "A woman is a witch, a snake, a plague, a rat, a rash, a poison, a burning flame and an assistant of the Devil"

Medieval romance     

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A hero sets out on a quest Is tested Not just strength and courage, but character and courtliness Meets up with versions of himself (self-discovery) Or meets up with the "other" which helps him to or hinders him from realizing his goal Hero returns changed

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Medieval romance  

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Hero leaves the world he knows Enters an unknown, mysterious world Is forced to confront some crisis The crisis reveals something about the hero The hero acquires knowledge about self or world rendering it less unknown, mysterious Hero returns a changed man Both hero and society are altered—improved or perhaps compromised by these events

14 th century (1300 – 1350) The Period of Great Individual Writers:   

The Pearl Poet William Langland Geoffrey Chaucer

They were responding to a period of crisis and transition.

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight  

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ca. 1375 – 1400 a courtly romance and the finest Arthurian romance in English The author probably wrote Pearl, Patience and Purity He comes from North - West Midland area Alliterative verse, long unrhymed lines, each section ending in five shorter rhymed lines

Part I and II Dangerous landscape outside Camelot  Supernatural character - Why green?  Gawain’s colors are gold and red. Gold is a symbol for perfection. Red is symbolic of courage, love, and passion, the qualities Gawain will have tested.  Holly branch is green and red but also an ax  Quest - "Therefore come, or be counted a recreant knight„  Gawain swears allegiance to host 

Animals hunted by Bercilak de Hautdesert  

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Animals are parallels to Gawain 1. deer – shy and scared, symbol of politeness, tact 2. boar – difficult to capture, protects itself, symbol of ferocity, boldness 3. fox – cunning, tricky For the man that possesses this piece of silk, if he bore it on his body, belted about, there is no hand under heaven that could hew him down, for he could not be killed by any craft on earth.

Traditional elements   

Beheading Game Temptation Exchange of Winnings

But linking and structure are unique.