Medieval Literature Study Guide: The Medieval Time Period: • The most common time frame for the medieval age is approx. 500-1500 C.E. • Some of the people who invaded England in the early Anglo Saxon Period were the Celts, the Romans, the Norse and Danish Vikings, the French, etc. • The Anglo-Saxon period, The Medieval Period, The Dark Ages, The Middle Ages all refer to the same period in history. • Thomas Becket (the Archbishop of Canterbury) under King Henry II is buried in a shrine at Canterbury. (Remember, he was killed for disagreeing with the king, so the king’s knights killed him.) • 1348-49: The Black Death (plague) kills many, which causes a massive labor shortage and increases the value of the peasant’s work. This started the beginning of better conditions for peasants. • Gaelic, Latin, Anglo-Saxon/Germanic, and French are the languages from which English is derived. Beowulf: • The oldest surviving English poem • It was passed down in the oral tradition until it was written down in the 600’s or so. • Is the national epic of England • Written in Anglo-Saxon English, called Old Englisc. • Longest surviving poem (over 3000 lines) • Beowulf is an epic poem. An epic poem… o is quite long o is a narrative (tells a story) o has a larger than life hero o Embodies the values of a particular society o includes elements of myth, legend, folklore, and history. o Is serious in tone and uses formal, grand language. • This poem was told by minstrels in courts in castles before it was ever written down. • The values of the warrior society are evident in Beowulf (dignity, bravery, prowess in battle). • Be able to summarize the story. The Canterbury Tales: • Geoffrey Chaucer was considered the greatest English poet—the father of English poetry. • Each character in The Canterbury Tales represents a different segment of society in 14th century England. • A pilgrimage is a long journey to a shrine or holy site, taken by people who wish to express their devotion. • Each character is directly and indirectly characterized; know how to identify how each is done. • Be able to summarize “The Pardoner’s Tale” and define the following terms: exemplum, archetypal narrative elements (p. 140 of the textbook). o It’s ironic because it’s about the sin of greed, yet the Pardoner is the greediest person of all! o How does “The Pardoner’s Tale” fulfill each of the archetypal narrative elements? Be able to summarize Morte d’ Arthur .