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22 views29 pages

Group 14

Uploaded by

sophiavallaeores
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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GOOD

AFTERNOON,
EVERYONE!
QUESTIONS:
1.Who is the best known of
ruler, Offa, built Offa’s Dyke
along the boarder between
Wales and England?
ANSWER:

1.MERCIA
QUESTIONS:

2.What are the four main


dialects?
ANSWER:
2.
• Northumbriam
• Merican
• Kentish
• Alfred The Great.
QUESTIONS:

3.What is the term used to


describe the period of English
literature that began with
Anglo-Saxon?
ANSWER:

3.Forefathers of Engl
literature
“WORD SEARCH
Directions: Find and encircle the words provided. Look for
GAME”
the words vertically and horizontally.
Literature
Middle Ages
Plays
Religious
English
Normans
LEARNING Distinguish between

OBJECTIVES
1 different forms of writing
for Anglo-Norman.
Students will be able to:

2 Understand Chaucer’s
impact of English
literature.
Compose an essay that
3 demonstrate an
understanding of Middle
English Literature.
MIDDLE
ENGLISH
LITERATUR
MIDDLE ENGLISH LITERATURE
This period started with the Norman Conquest in
1066 and ended with the end of fifteenth century.
There is two ages in this period. The span from
1066 to 1340 is called Anglo-Norman Period
because the literature of that period was written
mainly in Anglo-Norman, the French dialect spoken
by the new ruling class in England. The time from
1066 to 1500 is also called The Middle Ages. The
early part of the Middle Ages is called Dark Ages
because what actually during that time can hardly
be known.
FORMS OF
WRITING
FOR ANGLO-
NORMANS
THESE ARE:
• The Romance of Anglo-Norman Period
• The Mystery and Miracle Plays
• The Morality Plays
• Chronicles in the Anglo-Norman Period
THE ROMANCE OF ANGLO-NORMAN PERIOD
In contrast to the courage, seriousness, and savagery of the
Anglo-Saxon literature, the Normans introduced romantic tales
of love and adventure in literature. This made the Anglo-
Norman period to be chivalric rather than a heroic one.
Romance became the most popular form of literature during
the Anglo-Norman or Middle English period. These romances
were famous for their stories rather than poetry. Most of them,
in fact, had their origin in Latin and French sources. They told
the stories of King Arthur, The War of Troy, the mythical doings
of Charlemagne, and Alexander the Great.
SIR GAWAIN AND THE
THE MYSTERY PLAYS AND MIRACLE PLAYS
Another remarkable achievement of the Middle
English Period, however, was religious or didactic
writings. Under this category came the Mystery and
Miracle plays. The Mystery plays were based on
subjects taken from the Bible while the Miracle plays
depicted the lives of saints. Since only the clergymen
of the church had the authority to write and perform
these plays, they chose Latin as the medium of
writing and performing these plays.
THE MORALITY PLAYS
In the Middle English period, Morality plays also became
very popular. Allegory was, in fact, the main streak of
these plays. In the Morality plays characters were
personified abstractions presenting the conflict in the
human soul. The sole purpose of these plays was to
instruct the people through the Bible, lives of saints, and
the conflict between good and evil. Hence, these plays
also came under the category of religious and didactic
writing of that period.
CHRONICLES IN THE ANGLO-NORMAN PERIOD
In the Anglo-Norman period of English literature,
chronicles became a well-established form of
writing. These chronicles basically recorded the
history of kings. Though written in the Anglo-
Norman language, these chronicles, however,
became the major source of historical
knowledge for medieval people. Additionally,
they contained historical events, and legendary
material without any interpretation or comment
Poets of the Middle
English period and their
notable works
PHILIPPE DE THAUN
Philipe de Thaun was one of the
earliest Anglo-Norman poets of the
period. He was mainly famous for his
two significant poems. The first one
was 'Livre de Createur’. It was a
treatise on astronomy written
around 1119. His second famous
work was the allegorical poem
'Bestiaire' written around 1121 in the
Anglo-Norman dialect.
REGINALD OF CANTERBURY

Another famous of Anglo-


Norman poet is Reginald
of Canterbury. He was
monk as well. His famous
poem is ‘The Legend of
St Malchus’ which was
written around 1112.
HILARIUS
Hilarius was another Anglo-
Norman poet of the 12th
century. He was an
Englishman but wrote his
poems in Latin. In his
poems, he has mainly
addressed to English
persons.
BENOIT DE SAINTE MAURE
Benoit de Sainte-Maure was a
famous French poet in the
12th century. His most
famous work was ‘Roman de
Troie‘ (The Romance of
Troy).
WILLIAM LANGLAND
One of the notable poets of the Middle
Ages, William Langland emerged in the
14th century. He held a significant place
in the history of English literature and
wrote many important poems. His most
famous poem is 'A Vision of Piers the
Plowman'. As a satire on the corrupt
religious practices, Langland's poem
clearly discusses the ethical problems of
that time. Most of his poems are satirical
in nature and bring about moral, political
and social questions.
John Gower also occupied a significant
place in the development of English
JOHN GOWER
poetry of the Medieval period. He wrote
around the 14th or 15th century
bringing about the poems that
represented the English culmination of
courtly medieval poetry. His poems,
indeed, proved that English can
compete with the other languages that
had distinguished themselves in poetry.
Gower was mainly a narrative poet and
a moralist. His most famous poem is
Confession Amantis, written in the
form of conversation between the
divine interpreter and the poet.
WHO IS THE FATHER OF ENGLISH
⚬
LITERATURE?
Geoffrey Chaucer is known as the ‘Father of English
Literature’.

⚬ The Age of Chaucer


Towards the end of the Middle English period came 'The Age of
Chaucer', covering the period from 1343 to 1450. It is the
most significant time period in the literary history of English
literature. Chaucer made a fresh and distinct beginning in
English literature and became the 'Father of English literature'
as well as the 'Father of English poetry’. Chaucer's poetry has
been widely read from his own day to the present time. He
was not merely a bookman or the visionary, rather, he was a
man of the world and its affairs.
⚬ Chaucer's most significant work is Canterbury Tales. It is a
collection of stories related by the pilgrims of different sections of
society who are on their way to Thomas Becket's shrine at
Canterbury. A landmark in the history of English poetry,
Chaucer's Canterbury Tales enriched the English language and
meter to an extent that could be conveniently used for any
purpose. Furthermore, his introduction of a variety of characters
into a single action and their engagement in animated dialogues
fulfilled every requirement of the dramatists who were short of
bringing their plays on the stage. Chaucer's works also showed to
the novelists the way to portray their characters.
⚬ Decline in English Poetry
Chaucer's significance in the development of English literature is remarkable
as he shifted poetry from the region of Theology and Metaphysics to the old
classical principle of the direct imitation of nature. After Chaucer there came a
decline in English poetry for about 100 years. The period from 1400 to the
Renaissance was bereft of quality literature. The poets of that time period
produced little work and merely imitated Chaucer and his contemporaries.

Although the beginning of the Anglo-Norman Period is obvious, historians differ


on when this period ended. Some historians say that it ended in 1144
or 1066, while for others it lasted up to 1450 or 1500. The Norman
Conquest of England had, in fact, a profound effect in introducing
various changes in the history of English literature.
THE
Good luck with your studies!

END

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