The Middle Ages in Britain 1066 1485 What
The Middle Ages in Britain 1066 -1485
What ended the Anglo-Saxon period? u The Battle of Hastings took place in October of 1066 with the Normans defeating the Anglo-Saxons. u William the Conqueror was the leader of the Normans
The New Government: Feudalism u u u It was a hierarchy based on a religious concept, with God as the ruler. The three main tiers were the lords (or barons), the vassals (or yeomen), and the serfs (or peasants). The king owned the land, but he divided it between the barons and the church. The lords lived in manors and had their own soldiers called knights. They agreed to pay taxes and fight for the king. The vassals were farmers who had to do work for the lords on their land. The serfs were owned by the lords and had to provide food in exchange for their security. They were bound to the land they worked.
Important Events of the Middle Ages u u u The Christian church became rich and powerful under the Normans. The Crusades: wars begun between the Christians and the Arabs over holy places. Magna Carta (signed 1215): limited the power of the king/ the starting point for democracy Hundred Years War: England France fighting over land/ English lost most of its land in France Black Death: disease carried by rats that destroyed about 1/3 of Britain’s population
Chivalry in Medieval Times u u Chivalry was a “system of ideals and social codes governing the behavior of knights and gentlewomen” (Elements of Literature 81). Some of the commandments of chivalry were – – – – Defend the church Respect all weaknesses Love thy country Do not show weakness to an enemy Perform thy feudal duties Never lie and remain faithful Be generous (www. astro. umd. edu/~marshall/chivalry. html)
Courtly Love u u u Courtly love had very little to do with romance It is based on the feudal relationship between a knight and his lord. It began to be called “love” because it came to mean that the knight serves his woman with the same obedience and loyalty as he would his lord. The knight’s love for his lady inspires him to do great deeds. Courtly love was considered an idealized relationship that couldn’t really exist in “real life. ”
Geoffrey Chaucer u u u Born in London circa 1343 Spoke the language of the common people- their vernacular, which included slang After fighting in the Hundred Years War, he became a member of Parliament. Died circa 1400 - left no will and suspected to have been murdered Buried in the poet’s corner of Westminster Abbey
The Canterbury Tales: Chaucer’s Most Famous Work u u u Written between 1387 and 1400 Uses iambic pentameter throughout: 5 sets of syllables in an unstressed/stressed pattern Uses rhyming couplets The story is about a group of pilgrims taking a pilgrimage to Canterbury to see the shrine of St. Thomas a Becket (pilgrimage: a religious journey made to a shrine or holy place) The distance from Southwark to Canterbury would have been about 55 miles.
Tales, cont. u u The narrator (some believe this narrator is Chaucer himself) starts out at the Tabard Inn in Southwark (near London), where he meets 29 other pilgrims. The Prologue to the Tales introduces all of the pilgrims This piece of writing is considered a quest narrative- the characters have a specific goal of fame, spiritual enlightenment, or knowledge. It’s also a frame story- a story that includes any number of different narratives within it
WELCOME TO THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF CHAUCER AND THE MIDDLE AGES!
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