Medieval Period

“The Middle Ages”

1066-1485

The history of our English Language can be

divided into 3 periods:

1. Old English (before 1066)

2. Middle English (1066-1485)
3. Modern English (1485-present)
 Language in Transition
“Middle Ages”

 Around the year 1000, Old English

pronunciation changed when distinct vowel
sounds at the ends of words were being
dropped.

 Middle English differed from Old English in its

greater reliance upon fewer plural forms.
 Language in Transition
“Middle Ages”

 Middle English was a more analytical

language.
 Stressed word order/syntax
 Incorporated “function” words—verbs
French Invade England
October of 1066

 Leading Normandy was Duke William or “William the

Conqueror”, who defeated and killed the last Anglo-Saxon
king. This was the beginning of the Norman Conquest.
 Norman Conquest

 The Norman Conquest radically changed:

 English History
 English Character
 English Language
William the Conqueror is known for
three accomplishments:

1. Creating the Domesday Book which was an

inventory of every piece of property in England.

2. Bringing the French language to England

 Creating a bilingual society
 Upper-Class: spoke French
 Lower-Class: spoke English

3. Social System known as Feudalism

 Feudalism & Knighthood

Feudalism
 Religious concept of
hierarchy.
GOD

KING BARON

VASSAL

KNIGHTS SERFS
2 Major impacts on England as a result of the
Feudal System: Form and Manners

 Form—better known as knighthood.

 The institution of knighthood was firmly
based on the ideas of loyalty.

 We will see this clearly in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.
He is honor-bound to accept a challenge that he knows
could bring death.
2nd major impact that the feudal system had on
England:

 Manners
Code of Chivalry—Courtly Love
 A system of ideas and behavior codes that
governed both knight
and gentlewoman.
Three aspects that make up the Code of Chivalry

1. Loyalty to Lord 2. Warfare Rule

 Idea of Fairness
 Your oath, honor, and
respect went directly to
your lord. 3. Courtly Love
 Men--mostly the knights--
idolized women. They would
show this by wearing the colors
of their lady in battle, to glorify
her. This love for a woman was
thought to make the knight a
better fighter. They were
inspired by women.
ROMANCE

 Courtly Love provided ‘built-in’ drama for a poet or storyteller.

 It brought about the form of literature known as a ROMANCE:

a medieval story in verse form in which a brave knight must
overcome great danger for the love of a noble lady or higher
idea.
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

 Composed around 1370  Basic narrative pattern of a

romance:
 An unknown author
transformed the popular 1. Hero
romance into great art.
2. Quest—in which the
hero undertakes a
 An alliterative romance perilous journey in
poem. (Legend) search of something of
great value.

3. Supernatural event
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

 In Sir Gawain you will see the pull of sexual

temptation and of life in the medieval castle.

 Gawain is the model of the chivalric hero

whose character is being tested on:
 Courage
 Fidelity
 Morality
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

 Purpose of Sir Gawain and the Green

Knight: teach us a moral lesson.

 Theme: To achieve nobility human beings

must rely on the constant practice of a
number of virtues such as:
 Courage
 Honesty
 Self-sacrifice
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

 Setting (time)
The mythical past of King Arthur’s Court.

 Setting (place)
Camelot; the wilderness; Bertilak’s castle; the Green
Chapel.

 Motifs
The seasons; games