Michał Pastuszczak
MIDDLE ENGLISH PERIOD
Historical profile
- 1066 - Norman Invasion (the consequences of Norman Conquest: introduction of feudalism, new language, changes in linguistics, a lot of French words were borrowed, no more old English words, English language became more important (later!), bringing Norman architecture)
(not enaugh!)
Early Medival Stage (Pre-Chaucerian 1066 - c 1340)
Literature:
- courtly love
- chivalric romance
- secular lyrical poetry
- religious - didactic - moralizing lyrics
- the fabliau
- the beast fable
- the saint's life
- the exemplum
- the fairy tale
- the ballad
- new system of versifiation and stresses
- ryhm, regular rythm, stanza
Three topical goups of literature:
- the matter of France - about Charles the Great and his warriors (especially Roland - `The Song of Roland'), battle of Hastings
- the matter of Rome - connected to the antiquity (Roman, Greek and East)
- the matter of Britain - Celtic past, tradition
Arthurian Literature
- the legend about King Arthur (a great warrior and ruler) - one of the most important source of inspiration; evolved and became more and more fabulous and romantic
- comes from Celtic legends
- connection to the heroic epic poetry, christian poetry, troubadours, courtly love/romances
- firstly: about King Arthur, Round Table Knights, battles, historial background / later: evolved and bore new motives that actually became more important then King Arthur himself - romances - (e.g.: the story of Trinstan and Isolde, `Sir Gawin and the Green Knight')
- Geoffrey of Monmouth: `History of the Kings of Britain' (including King Arthur as one of the greatest kings ever; the work was mostly imaginary, but tells a lot about Arthurian legend)
- Layamon: `Brut' (poem) - based on Geoffrey's work (King Arthur as a commander/leader)
- Sir Thomas Malory: `Morte Darthur' (Morte d'Arthur) - prose
Other Literature
- Spring & Love: `Cuckoo Song' (happiness caused by the spring), `Alisoun' (love poetry)
- Feasts: about feasts spent together, drinking, enjoying the party, etc.
- Reflection: asking about people who are dead, warning of lostness
- RELIGIOUS POETRY: `Pearl' (anon.) - the dream about dead daughter (teological problems), `Cleanness', `Patiene'
- MEDIEVAL ROMANCES:
* courtly love (partiular philosophy of experiencing love; associated with France),
* English romances (mostly for plebs, moderated picture of passion): `King Horn', `Havelok'
* about historical characters: (usually mixture of history and legend)
* Round Table Knights / Lancelot and Guinevere / Saint Graal / Sir Gawin and the Greene Knights
- Fabliau - middle-class literature (connected to the feudalism): the beast fable (animals as main characters - personification)
- the saint's life
- the exeplum (didactic purpose, alegorical, stories - true or imaginary) | debate poem: `The Owl and the Nightingale'
- the fairy tale
- the ballad: set to be sung; contrast to romance; intended for plebs; short, single incidente; cast in fialog form; action is swift; four-lined stanzas; often with Robin Hood as a main character.
Middle Medieval Stage (The Age of Geoffrey Chaucer c 1340 - 1400)
Geoffrey Chaucer: English writer, poet, philosopher, courtier, diplomat; Father of English Literature; the most famous work: `The Canterbury Tales'; first author to demonstrate the artistic legitimacy of the vernacular English language.
Three groups of Chaucer's works:
- The French Period: `The Book of Duchess'
- The Italian Period: `The House of Fame', `Troilus and Criseyde', `The Parliament of Fowls'
- The English Period: `The Canterbury Tales' (moralization, representatives of all groups of the society, expresses no judgements, religion connected with every-day life)
Drama
- developed from shorter forms:
* mystery plays (religiuos): performed in churches, later on the streets during religious festivals; life and teaching of the Jesus, Bible.
* morality plays (didactic, moralistic): personified abstractions as representation of human virtues and vices: `Everyman'
As drama developed, more and more people were attracted to it, actors became profesionalists, so that could get better profit.
Drama developed in two directions:
- the court drama - `controlled' by the University (profesional playwrights)
- the folk drama - performed by the common people
Late Medieval Stage (Post-Chaucerian 1400 - 1485)
`Le Morte d'Arthur' - Sir Thomas Malory
- King Arthur - ideal ruler
- knights - loyal
- characters - human
- moralistic romance
(not enough!)
Zostawiam szerokie boczne marginesy w celu dokonania ew. poprawek, notatek ;-)