Anglo-Saxon and Middle Ages PDF

The Anglo-Saxon Period (449-1066)  Outline for this chapter: Brief history of the Anglo-Saxon Period The Anglo-Saxon Literature Brief history of the Anglo-Saxon Period Early Britain: A history of Invasions The early history is dominated by the invasion of different people that s...

The Anglo-Saxon Period (449-1066)  Outline for this chapter: Brief history of the Anglo-Saxon Period The Anglo-Saxon Literature Brief history of the Anglo-Saxon Period Early Britain: A history of Invasions The early history is dominated by the invasion of different people that settled in the island and helped to create what is now known as Great Britain. Who were the main invaders? Put the following groups in chronological order based on when they first invaded Britain. The Vikings 4 The Romans 2 The Anglo-Saxons 3 The Celts 1 Brief history of the Anglo-Saxon Period Celtic Invasions According to history, the first group of people who lived on the island known today as Britain were the Celts (Britons). They first appeared in Britain around the year 700 BC. The Celts were organized into tribes and originally practiced a pagan culture that worshipped the elements: the sun and moon, as well as rivers, trees, and stones, all of which were believed to have spirits (animism). Brief history of the Anglo-Saxon Period Roman Invasions Around the year 55 BC (Before Christ), Julius Caesar led his powerful army to attack the Celts and occupied England. England then was subject to the 400 Roman Empire for __________ years. The Romans brought great prosperity to England during their occupation: – Strong Military: They pushed the Celts into Wales and Ireland and prevented invasions for several hundred years. – Infrastructure: They built roads, towns, and public baths. – Cultural Influence: They began to Christianize the Celts, leading to the decline of Celtic religion. What happened by the end of the fourth century? – Roman armies abandoned Britain to defend their own city. What were the consequences of Roman withdrawal? – Having grown dependent on Roman protection, this made England an easy target for invasion. Brief history of the Anglo-Saxon Period Germanic Invasions – 5th century (449) One of the reasons for the Anglo-Saxon migration to Britain Roman was the decline of __________ power in the region. The Anglo-Saxons belonged to the Germanic tribes. Their original homelands were Denmark and Germany. Who were the three main groups of people? – The Angles, The Saxons, and the Jutes. What was the primary reason for the Anglo-Saxon migration to Britain? – The search for land and resources. After the Anglo-Saxons defeated the Celts, they divided 5 England into _____ kingdoms. – Northumbria, Mercia, Wessex, Kent and East Anglia Brief history of the Anglo-Saxon Period Viking Invasions - 8th-9th Centuries Soon after establishing their kingdoms, the Anglo- Saxons had to defend themselves from the Vikings. Around the ninth century, the Anglo-Saxons, led by King Alfred the Great, reconquered the land the Vikings had taken. He managed to organize these kingdoms into one unified kingdom. The name "Engla land," which became "England," began to be used to describe this unified kingdom.  The Anglo-Saxon Literature The Anglo-Saxons’ two urgings - war and wandering become part of the oral tradition. Beowulf marks the beginning of English literature. It is one of the earliest known pieces of literature known in the English language; written in Old English. The story of Beowulf wasn’t written down until about 700 AD by “The Beowulf Poet” who is unknown. He wrote down the poem which for many years had been only sung or spoken. It tells the story of the Scandinavian hero Beowulf, who gains fame as a young man by vanquishing the monster Grendel and Grendel's mother; later, as an aging king, he kills a dragon but dies soon after, honored and lamented. The Anglo-Saxon Literature The Medieval Period (1066-1458) Outline for this chapter: Brief history of the Medieval Period – The Medieval Period (the Middle Ages) Christianity Feudalism Chivalry The Medieval Literature – Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales Three parts of General Prologue – The opening (42 lines) – The Friar – Wife of Bath  Brief History of the Medieval Period What marked the end of the Anglo- Saxon period and the beginning of the Medieval Period? – The Anglo-Saxon period ended in 1066 when William the Conqueror from Normandy of France led his army to attack England. – The Anglo-Saxons were defeated, and England was then occupied by the Normans. This event marked the beginning of the Medieval Period in England. Brief History of the Medieval Period The Medieval Period (The Middle Ages) The Normans were more prosperous than the Anglo- Saxons and brought their culture to England after their conquest. They introduced the French language and courtly manners, and many Anglo-Saxons were often forced into servitude. English society in the Medieval Period was influenced by: – Christianity – Feudalism – Chivalry Brief History of the Medieval Period Christianity The Medieval Period was an age of religion and faith. The Church was more powerful than the king, holding power because it was the only place for advanced education at that time. The Church became very wealthy by teaching people to fear sin and death. People would bring large sums of money to the priests, asking them to save their souls. Many priests began to earn their living as Pardoners, selling indulgences. As they became richer, they grew more corrupt and paid less attention to the Bible and church disciplines. This corruption contributed to the decline of the Church in the later Middle Ages. Some scholars, especially during the Renaissance and Enlightenment periods, viewed the Middle Ages as the Dark Ages, a time when civilization was mired in superstition and ignorance. Brief History of the Medieval Period Feudalism Feudalism was a system based on the holding of land. After conquering England, King William claimed all the land. He took it from the Anglo-Saxon owners and granted large areas to his lords, who promised him their services and those of their retainers in return. The lords, in turn, granted portions of their lands to knights who pledged to assist them in battles. At the bottom of the social scale were the serfs, who made up the majority of the population. The serfs, who had to serve their lords like slaves, suffered the most in this hierarchy. However, since this was an age of religious faith, most people accepted the idea that God had ordained everything in the universe. They believed that if life was hard, it was because they were journeying through a vale of tears to a better life after death. This class structure was accepted even by the serfs, who believed that full equality could not exist on earth. Feudalism can be clearly seen in the diagram below: Brief History of the Medieval Period Chivalry Chivalry, a product of feudalism, was an idealized system of manners and morals. The Medieval knight was bound to the code of Chivalry, which required him to be loyal to: – God – His lord – His lady Chivalric ideals included: – Benevolence (acts of kindness) – Honor – Politeness Medieval Literature In general, the literature in the Medieval period was more elaborate than that of the Anglo-Saxon period, both in style and subject matter. While Anglo-Saxon works mostly dealt with gloomy heroic poems, Medieval literature was more lively and diverse. Although many works in the early Medieval period focused on religious themes, there were remarkable secular poems towards the end of the period. A good example is a romance* called Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, written by an anonymous poet. The story is about an adventure of Sir Gawain, one of King Arthur’s knights. * Romance is a long narrative in prose or verse that originated in the Middle Ages. Its main elements are adventure, love, and magic. The Canterbury Tales The Canterbury Tales is a collection of stories that runs to over 17,000 lines, written in Middle English by Geoffrey Chaucer. It is considered the greatest piece of imaginative literature produced in the Medieval period. In this long poem, Chaucer tells the story of a group of 30 people who meet by chance at the Tabard Inn on the eve of a pilgrimage to the shrine of Thomas Becket at Canterbury. The pilgrims accept the offer of the inn's owner to guide them and agree to his suggestion that each pilgrim tells two stories on the way to Canterbury and two stories on the way back. The best storyteller is to be rewarded with a supper paid for by the others upon their return to the Tabard. However, only the Prologue and 24 of the planned 120 tales were completed. The Canterbury Tales The whole cycle is prefaced by a General Prologue in which the narrator briefly describes each of the pilgrims. Each tale is preceded by a prologue where the pilgrims tell us something about themselves. The pilgrims come from different social classes, such as: – The military: (e.g., the Knight) – The clergy: (e.g., the Friar, the Nun, the Prioress, the Parson) – The middle classes: (e.g., the Merchant, the Doctor) – The trades: (e.g., the Carpenter, the Miller) However, it is worth noting that neither the aristocracy nor the poorest ranks of society are included. The pilgrims are presented with typical characteristics drawn from popular and literary tradition: – The virtuous knight – The domineering wife – The libertine friar – The poor parson The Canterbury Tales The tales themselves cover a wide range of themes. Among the themes are love, marriage, corruption, hypocrisy, and chivalry. All of three following excerpts is taken from the general prologue – The opening of the General Prologue – The Friar – The Wife of Bath The last two excerpts are parts of the general prologue where the narrator supplies the reader with the descriptions of the pilgrims. The opening of the General Prologue What does the month of April bring? April brings the return of Spring. April's showers have soaked deep into the dry ground of March to water the flowers. They cause flowers to bloom and crops to grow. What does Zephyr do? Zephyr = a warm and gentle wind. Chaucer's Canterbury Tales describes Zephyr breathing life into all things in the spring. What are the birds doing? The birds are singing. This prologue starts by singing the praises of April whose rains and warm western wind restore life and fertility to the earth and its inhabitants. The opening of the General Prologue What do people want to do in April? This abundance of life prompts people to go on pilgrimages. Many people in England choose to go to the city of Canterbury in southeastern England to visit the remains of Thomas Becket, the Christian martyr who had the power of healing people. It is ________. Spring The narrator is staying inSouthwark The Tabard ________ at ________ Inn. It is ________. night He is ________ lying in bed and the day after he pilgrimage to Canterbury.Twenty-nine will set off to go on a ________ ________ people arrive at the inn. They are all ________ pilgrims and they start talking to each other. They discover that they are all going to the same place, Canterbury large ________. The room at the inn are very ________ and comfortable, and the pilgrims are treated well. When night falls, the narrator starts aconversation ________ with to other pilgrims. He arranges to travel with them and they decide to leave ________ early in the morning. The opening of the General Prologue From line 35 onwards, the narrator says that before going on with the accounts of the journey, he will take some time to describe the pilgrims, referring to their social class, profession, and clothes. A type figurative language = personification wind = his breath / sun = his half-course The opening of the Canterbury Tales can be divided into four Content parts. Fill in the following table: Lines description of April 1-11 what people generally do in April 12-18 what happens at the Tabard 19-34 Method of description that the poet will employ 35-42  CEPT Test Date : 27-28 July 2024 5% of your total grade for this course Please check test date/time on the website and remember to bring your own earphones.  Review: Anglo-Saxon Period – Brief History (A history of Invasions) – Anglo-Saxon Literature (War and Wandering) – Beowulf Medieval Period – Brief History (Norman Conquest: Christianity, Feudalism, Chivalry) – Medieval Literature (Romance) – Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales The opening of General Prologue (42 lines) The Friar/ The Wife of Bath Review: Identify which of the following statements are false and provide the correct version. _____ 1. The April showers pierce March's drought and help flowers grow. _____ 2. Zephyr's sweet breath fills every holt and heath with new leaves. F 3. The young sun has completed its journey in the sign of the Ram. _____ _____ 4. People long to go on pilgrimages in April because of the pleasant spring weather. F 5. Pilgrims seek out shrines that are not well known. _____ F 6. Pilgrims travel to Canterbury to see an unknown holy figure. _____ _____ 7. The holy blessed martyr in Canterbury is believed to have healing powers. F 8. The narrator is staying at the Tabard Inn in Canterbury. _____ _____ F 9. The accommodations at the inn are cramped and uncomfortable. F 10. A total of twenty-nine people, including the narrator, gathered at the inn to _____ embark on the pilgrimage. _____ 11. The narrator and the other pilgrims plan to leave for Canterbury early in the morning. F 12. The narrator will describe each pilgrim, starting with a friar, before _____ continuing the tale. The general prologue: The Friar Friars belong to a religious order, a group within the Catholic church. Friars are like monks in that they are devoted to a religious life. The difference is that a friar lives and works among regular people in society, while a monk lives in a isolated, self-sufficient group of monks. They are supported by donations or other charitable support. Friars were great objects of criticism in Chaucer’s time = “the libertine friar” (corrupted, immoral) The general prologue: The Friar Can you describe the characters and personality of the Friar? He is a pleasure-loving (“wanton”) and cheerful (“merry and festive). What is the Friar better than any of the Four religious orders mentioned in line 3? His gossip and his fair language (= he likes gossiping people/ he is good at sweet talking, using the language of flattery) Why does the Friar pay for young women’s wedding? One of the stereotypes about friars is that they travel around seducing women by their sweet talk. Chaucer makes it seem like that the friar is a good person, because he apparently pays for young women’s weddings. However the truth behind this is that the friar has actually arranged marriages of many young girls whom he had seduced. He impregnates the women, and then marries them, to prevent any complications. The general prologue: The Friar The narrator say that he was very popular? Who liked him in particular? Why? He is extremely well beloved of franklins (landowners) and worthy women all over the town. These people liked them because he was licensed to listen to their confession and his absolution was pleasant since he easily granted pardon whenever he was certain of a good offering. How did the Friar justify his own actions? He argued that donating money to friars was a sign of true repentance. For many hard-hearted men who could not weep even if they were truly repentant for their sins, charity to friars was equivalent to tears and prayers. The general prologue: The Friar What were his methods of confession like? He was eager to absolve as long as he received money or presents. One of the interesting things to note about the Friar is ambiguity that Chaucer gives the dimension of moral ________ ironises him. Although he ________ about his corruption – giving easy ________ absolution in exchange for ________ money - he also seems to appreciate his qualities such as his ________ lack of bigotry and his good ________. mood Indeed, judges the narrator of the General Prologue never ________ his human weakness but instead gently mocking him for them. Summary: There was a friar who was playful and cheerful, a sociable man who enjoyed festivities. Among all the members of the Four Orders, none could match his skill in conversation and smooth talking. He had arranged many marriages for young women, often paying for the costs himself. He was a valued member of his order and well-liked by everyone. He was particularly close to wealthy landowners and respected women in the city. He claimed that his ability to hear confessions was unmatched, even better than a parish priest's. He was officially authorized to hear confessions for his order. He listened to confessions gently and gave absolution kindly, making sure not to instill fear. He was lenient in assigning penances and knew how to make a good living from it. He believed that giving money to a begging friar was a sign that a person had truly confessed and been forgiven. The friar boldly claimed that if someone gave him money, it showed their repentance was sincere. Many people are so hardened in their hearts that they cannot cry, no matter how much they suffer. Therefore, instead of weeping and praying, people should give money to the poor friars. Review: Identify which of the following statements are false and provide the correct version. _____ 1. The friar was known to be both wanton and merry. _____ F 2. The friar had never arranged any marriages at his own cost. _____ 3. He was well-liked and intimate with franklins and worthy women in the city. _____ 4. The friar’s power of confession was unparalleled. F _____ 5. The friar heard confessions harshly and left people in dread. _____ 6. He believed that giving money to begging friars was a sign of sincere repentance. _____ F 7. The friar boasted that he took the repentance of those who gave money lightly. _____ 8. The friar believed that instead of weeping and praying, men should give silver to the poor friars The general prologue: The Wife of Bath From the beginning, we learn that this woman comes from Bath and she is slightly deaf. What else do we know about her? She has great financial success in her business as a clothemaker in which, says Chaucer, she surpasses the famous clothemakers of Ypres and Ghent. Can you describe her characteristic? She is very outspoken and self-centered. She always strives to be at the head of the queue during the church ceremonies and even becomes angry with those who get ahead of her. The general prologue: The Wife of Bath How does she always dress? She is always overdressed to show people that she is successful enough to own fine clothes of good material (head-dresses, stockings, shoes) What about her marital status? She has been married five times (not counting other company in youth..) Has she had many opportunities to travel? Where to? What for? She has traveled widely and has been on pilgrimages to Jerusalem, Rome, Bologna, Santiago, and Cologne. The general prologue: The Wife of Bath What else do we learn about her? She has a gap between her front teeth (which was considered attractive and a sign of a highly advanced sexual appetite). She is still overdressed while travelling. She wears a big hat, a riding skirt round her large hips, and a pair of sharp spurs on her heels. She knows how to enjoy herself in company. she gives good love advice because she has had lots of experience. In other words, the Wife's numerous lovers and husbands have made her skilled in the "old dance" of love, or sex. The general prologue: The Wife of Bath When we first meet the good wife in the General ________ Prologue to the Canterbury ________ Tales, we are necessarily deaf impressed (…) She is a bit ________ for reasons we scarlet will discover later; her stocking are ________; her bold expression is ________, fair, and matches her stockings. Famously gap-toothed and so presumably lustful, she has survived five ________, husbands not to mention other company, and is a notorious ________, pilgrim nationally and internationally. (…) What is impressive about the wife is her endless ________: vitality sexual, verbal, polemical. Her exuberance has no literary ________ antecedent and could not be matched until Shakespeare created some of his characters. Summary: The Wife of Bath, from a nearby city, was somewhat deaf but very skilled at making clothes, surpassing those from Ypres and Ghent. No wife in her parish could precede her in making offerings without angering her, which disrupted her charity. Her head-dresses were of fine quality, weighing about ten pounds, which she wore on Sundays. She wore fine scarlet stockings and new shoes. She had a bold, fair, and rosy face. Respectable throughout her life, she had been married five times and had many youthful adventures. She had traveled to Jerusalem three times, and also to Rome, Boulogne, Santiago, and Cologne. She knew much about travel and was gap- toothed. She rode a horse comfortably, wore a large wimple and a broad hat, and had an overskirt around her large hips, with sharp spurs on her feet. She was sociable, enjoyed laughing and chatting, and was knowledgeable in the art of love, having learned it well.