middle english period ￥.ppt

Middle English period (1066- 1485)Historical Background• what are the important events in this period? • The Norman Conquest • Eventful 2nd half of 14th C • 1381 uprising • Hundred Years War(1337-1453) • War of Roses (1455-1485)The Norman Conquest• In 1066, at the battle of Hastings, William, the energetic Duke of Normandy, defeated the Anglo-Saxons and became the king • The Consequence of the Conquest • Politically, a feudal system and a centralized government established . • Religiously, the Rome-backed Catholic Church had a much stronger control. • Normans brought to England their own literature.• 4. Great changes in languages: Ø the Norman lords spoke French; Ø Latin became the principal tongue of the clergymen and scholars. Ø common English spoke old English; Ø London dialect became the basis of Middle English. Impact of Norman French vocabulary • 1) governmental: herald, fine, noble, parliament. • 2) military: battle, ally, alliance, ensign, admiral, navy, aid, gallant, march, enemy, escape, peace, war. • 3) judicial system: judge, jury, plaintiff, justice, court, suit, defendant, crime, felony, murder, petty/petit, attorney, marriage (Anglo-Saxon wedding), heir.• 4) ecclesiastical: clergy, altar, miracle, preach, pray, sermon, virgin, saint, friar/frere. • 5) cuisine: sauce, boil, filet, soup, pastry, fry, roast, toast. • 6) personal names: Charles, William, RichardMiddle English Literature• 1066 - mid-14th century: almost barren • 2nd half of the 14th century: starts to flourish. • a wider range of subjects • a greater diversity of styles and genres. • reflects the medieval Christian doctrine • emphasizes the humanity of Christ and the imagery of human passion • Romance : most prevailing genre • Popular ballad • The Canterbury TalesRomance• a medieval narrative, originally one in verse and in some Romance dialect, treating of heroic, fantastic, or supernatural events, often in the form of allegory. • 中世纪骑士故事; 传奇, 冒险故事 The features of Romance • Hero: • usually the knight, a man of noble birth, skilled in the use of weapons, who sets out on a journey to accomplish some goal • to protect the church and the king • to attack infidelity • to rescue a maiden • to meet a challenge • or to obey a knightly command. • structure: loose and episodic • language and style : simple and straightforward. • It exaggerates the vices of human nature and idealizes the virtues. • It contains perilous adventures more or less remote from ordinary life, even describes supernatural things.By subject• “matters of Britain”( adventures of King Arthur and his knights of the Round Table) • “matters of France” (Emperor Charlemagne and his warrior Roland) • “matters of Rome” (Alexander the Great and so forth)• King Arthur and his knights of the Round Table • Sir Gawain and the Green Knight• Thomas Marlory : Mort d’Arthur (prose)• King Arthur is a legendary Briton leader who, according to Medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early sixth century. • the themes, events and characters of the Arthurian legend varied widely from text to text, and there is no one canonical version Ballads • Popular ballads are originally dance songs in verse form, usually in 4-line stanzas, with the second and fourth lines rhymed. • They are mainly literature of peasants, created collectively by people and constantly revised in the process of being handed down from mouth to mouth. • kinds of ballads: historical, legendary, fantastical, lyrical and humorous Ballads of Robin Hood• Robin Hood is partly a real and partly a legendary figure who lived during the reign of Richard I. • the leader of a band of outlaws who lived in the deep forest. • They often attacked the rich, waged war against the bishops and archbishops, and helped the poor people. • A Merry Geste of Robin Hood • A Gest of Robyn Hode• Lythe and listin, gentilmen, That be of frebore blode; I shall you tel of a gode yeman, His name was Robyn Hode.Robyn was a prude outlaw, Whyles he walked on grounde: So curteyse an outlawe as he was one Was nevere non founde.Robyn stode in Bernesdale, And lenyd hym to a tre, And bi hym stode Litell Johnn, A gode yeman was he.• LITHE and listen, Gentlemen, • That be of free-born blood: • I shall you tell of a good yeoman, • His name was Robin Hood. • Robin was a proud outlaw, • The while he walked on ground; • So courteous an outlaw as he was one • Was never none found. • Robin stood in Barnèsdale, • And leaned him to a tree; • And by him stood Little John, • A good yeoman was he.Geoffrey Chaucer• Life • Literary Career • The Canterbury TalesLife • Father of English poetry • Westminster Abbey Literary Career• 1. The French Period • under the influence of the French literature. His earliest work The Romaunt of the Rose, a free translation of a 13th-century French poem The Roman de l。