1 BSEE 36: Survey of English and American Literature

BSEE 36: also known as the battle of the great knights or

Middle English
kings. Harold Godwinson had severely wounded
which caused him to surrender and the throne has
been passed to William, the duke of Normandy.

Literature and History King Edward

English American
William Harold Harald lll
• Europe • North, South &
• Old English Central
language (more American Tostig
complex in • Modern
spelling and Standard
pronunciation) Battle of
English Hastings
• Didactic
(Religious works)
language
(makes the
language easier
and accessible)
William
• Modern
(societal, political, Language
human rights and
justices' issues • After the Norman Conquest in 1066, Old
are present in English was suppressed in records and
their work) official venues in favor of the Norman
History and Society French language. However, the English
language survived among the conquered
Monarchies in England
Anglo-Saxons.
• One of the most influential monarchies in
• The peasant classes spoke only English,
the history of England began in 1066 C.E.
and the Normans who spread out into the
with the Norman Conquest led by William,
countryside to take over estates soon
the Duke of Normandy.
learned English of necessity.
• During the reign of William, the duke of
• By the 14th century, English reemerged as
Normandy. England would forever be
the dominant language but in a form very
changed politically, economically, and
different from Anglo-Saxon Old English.
socially as a result.
• Writers of the 13th and 14th centuries
described the co-existence of Norman
The land of England
French and the emerging English now
England was reign by King Edward, promised
known as Middle English
William, the duke of Normandy to be the next king.
However, before his death he passed the throne to Ex. “Whilom, as olde stories tellen us, Ther was a duc that highte
Harold Godwinson. Tostig, brother of Harold also Theseus; Of Atthenes he was lord and governour,…”
aims to get the throne. The other part of England - The Knight’s Tale
had known the conflict and one of the kings, King Additional notes:
Harald III, also aimed to get the throne of king
Edward. (All of this happened during winter Celts + Latin (Romans) = Old English
Old English + French (William, the duke of Normandy) = Middle
season) English
Middle English + Native English (renaissance period) =
These men planned to attack in South England – Modern Standard English (time of William Shakespeare...)
part of England that has no resources but has the
big part of England. William has arrived in South Two Modern Standard English Period
England one week earlier, Harald lll, arrived one 1. Early modern English period – changes in
week late due to the season or the changing spelling and pronunciation (ex. governour to governor)
weather that cause his troupe to lose the battle. 2. Late modern English period – additional
vocabulary in English (the 1 English dictionary was
st

Noah's webster)
Harold, asked Tostig that if he became the Society
successor, he will appoint him as his escort or
• Medieval society saw the social order as
square, which cause Tostig to retreat. Harold and
part of the Great Chain of Being, the
William started the battle of Hastings (Austings)
metaphor used in the Middle Ages to
2 BSEE 36: Survey of English and American Literature

describe the social hierarchy believed to be •French chiefly spoken, those who fight,
created by God. purpose was to protect—allow for all to
• Originating with Aristotle and, in the work in peace—and provide justice
Middle Ages, believed to be ordained by 3. Commoners
God, the idea of Great Chain of Being, or • Anglo-Saxons used Old English
Scala Naturae. language
• English spoken, those who work,
purpose was to feed and clothe all
above them.

Philosophy
• The Church – The most important
philosophical influence of the Middle Ages
was the Church, which dominated life and
literature.
• In medieval Britain, “the Church” referred to
Society the Roman Catholic Church.
• In the Middle Ages, the king-retainer • Chivalry – In addition to religion, a second
structure of Anglo-Saxon society evolved philosophical influence on medieval
into feudalism, a method of organizing thought and literature was chivalry, the
society consisting of three estates: code of conduct that bound and defined a
clergymen (Romans), the noblemen (Knights knight’s behavior
or Warriors – the true powerful French people) who • A product of feudalism, chivalry, was an
were granted fiefs or lands by the king, and idealized system of manners and morals
the commoners' class who worked on the • Loyalty to God, King/ Lord, lady
fief. • The word chivalry, based on the French
word chevalerie, derives from the French
Feudalism words for horse (cheval) and horsemen,
• Feudalism always have two L’s: (1) Lord; indicating that chivalry applies only to
(2) Liegeman – peasants, vassals, knights, the nobility.
commoners • Chivalric ideals include:
• The economic system of much of the → Benevolence
Middle Ages (800-1100) → Brotherly love
• Feudalism is important as it created ties of → Politeness
obedience and fostered a sense of loyalty • Under the code of chivalry, the knight
between the vassals and their lord. vowed not only to protect his vassals, as
• Commoners (peasants) lived on a feudal demanded by the feudal system, but also
manor. The lord of the manor gave his to be the champion of the Church.
peasants land to farm.
• In return, the vassals received protection
from roving bandits (thief of crops). Yet they
Literature
were taxed and had to surrender a portion Religious Literature
of their crops to the lord. Religious literature appeared in several genres:
A. Devotional books
• A tenant (vassal) renews his oath of fealty
1. Books of hours [collections of prayers and
(oath of loyalty to their Lords) to his lord.
devotionals, often illuminated]
• It is an oath of fidelity made by the vassal. 2. Sermons book of preaches
In it he promised not to harm his lord or to 3. Psalters [books containing psalms and
do damage to his property. other devotional material, often illuminated]
4. Missals [books containing the prayers and
Three States in the Middle English other texts read during the celebration of
1. Clergy mass throughout the year] used for the
• Roman people prayers during masses
• Latin chiefly spoken, those who pray, 5. Breviaries [books containing prayers and
purpose was to save everyone’s soul. instructions for celebrating mass]
2. Nobles completely prayers and instructions
• French people; knights and warriors
3 BSEE 36: Survey of English and American Literature

B. Hagiographies [stories of the lives of

saints]

C. Medieval Drama Le Morte

1. Mystery plays – plays depicting events d'Arthur
from the bible leaving the readers
allegorical questions. (questions the Sir Thomas
existing of God) Malory
2. Morality plays – plays, often allegories,
intended to teach moral/lesson (goal is
to teach moral/ lesson from the Bible) Sir Thomas Malory
• Sir Thomas Malory (c.1415-1471 CE) was
Both mystery plays and morality plays are
an English knight during the War of the
allegorical to the Bible; same reference.
Roses (1455-1487 CE) best known for his
Additional notes: highly influential work of medieval literature.
The beginning of Early Modern English Period
(didactic) was the start when William Caxton King Arthur
introduced Printing press in England in 1476. • King Arthur is the figure at the heart of the
Arthurian legends. He is said to be the son
Johannes Gutenberg – invented printing press of Uther Pendragon and Igraine of Cornwall.
Chivalric Literature
Medieval romance, a narrative, in either prose or Geoffrey Chaucer
poetry, presenting a knight and his adventures. • He was born circa 1340 in London,
England.
• The word romance originally indicated • His family name derives from the French
languages that derived from Latin (the chausseur, meaning "shoemaker".
Roman language) and is not related to • The Canterbury Tales became his best
modern usage of the word to signify known and most acclaimed work.
romantic love. Instead, a medieval
romance presents a knight in a series of
adventures (a quest) featuring battles,
The Canterbury Tales
supernatural elements, repeated events, by Geoffrey Chaucer
and standardized characters. • In 1476, Caxton set up a printing press in
the vicinity of Westminster Abbey and
The last 40 years of the Middle Ages, from 1360 to began to print books, some in Latin as had
1400, produced the three greatest works of been traditional, but Caxton also printed
medieval literature: books in English.
• Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales • With the suppression of the Old English
• Malory’s Morte d’Arthur language at the time of the Norman
Conquest and the replacement of English
• Sir Gawain and the Green Knight by the
with French in official venues, English
Pearl Poet
might have been lost forever. Instead, the
English language survived and eventually
flourished in the late Middle Ages.
• The future of the English language was
further ensured with the arrival of William
Sir Gawain Caxton and the printing press in England.
and the
Green Knight

Pearl Poet