Cultural Awakening

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Cultural Awakening
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Rise of the Medieval University

• Origins of the Medieval University
• Standard Teaching Method
• Religious Foundations of University life
• Granting of Degrees
• Student Life
• Medieval University Curriculum
• Violence in University Life

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Universities

• Evolved from medieval schools known as studia
  generalia
• Places of study open to students throughout
  Europe.
• Efforts to educate clerks and monks beyond the
  level of the cathedral and monastic schools.
• Earliest Western universities
• Salerno, Italy-- 9th c. -- famous medical school
  that drew students from all over Europe
• Bologna, Italy-- 11thc. --a widely respected
  school of canon and civil law
• University of Paris --mid 12th c.-- noted for
  its teaching of theology and as a model for other
  universities in N. Europe
• Oxford University in England--end of the 12th
  century.

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Medieval Scholasticism

• An attempt to reconcile faith with reason (logic)
• Demonstrates attempt to change at end of Middle
  Ages
• The idea that reason comes from the bible alone
• An attempt to reconcile the classical Greek
  philosophers with the bible
• It was deductive
• Started with the tenets of the bible which were
  used for proof
• Champions of Scholasticism
• --Anselm
• --Peter Abelard, Sic et Non
• --Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica
• Critics of Scholasticism
• --Bernard of Clairvaux

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St. Thomas Aquinas
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Mysticism

• Bernard of Clairvaux
• "Prayer and personal sanctity, according to
  Bernard, are the ways to the knowledge of God,
  and not disputation. The saint, not the
  disputant, comprehends God."
• In the mystics we have a helpful introduction to
  one part of the reform that was needed in the
  church -- a renewed attention to the inner life
  with God.
• This didn't go far enough without a corresponding
  renewal of the outer, objective truth of
  salvation, which by now had been buried under
  layers of pagan idolatry, and superstition
• The Church at this time still had room for its
  mystics, but it did not have room for the
  reformers of the outer truth.
• Wyclif and Hus
• Catherine of Siena (1347-1380)
• major player in returning the papacy from Avignon
  to Rome

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New Christian Art, Architecture Drama

• New Art emphasizes Jesus humanity and the
  personal, emotional religious experience
• Romanesque Church structures (11th and 12th
  centuries)
• Gothic Cathedrals (12th and 13th centuries)
• The symbolism of Cathedral interiors
• Religious Drama (13th century)

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Chivalry

• Chivalry was a peculiarity of the practice of war
  in medieval Europe.
• The feudal knight was supposed to be devout,
  honest, selfless, just, brave, honorable,
  obedient, kind, charitable, generous, and kind to
  women.
• complex rituals and rules

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Only Vague until written for a French Queen by
Guillaume

• Moans of approaching death from unsatisfied
  desire
• Heroic deeds of valor which win the lady's heart
• Consummation of the secret love
• Endless adventures and subterfuges
• Tragic end

• Declaration of passionate devotion
• Virtuous rejection by the lady
• Worship of the chosen lady
• Renewed wooing with oaths of eternal fealty

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Troubadour Poetry

• Origins in Provençal Guillaume X considered to
  be first troubadour poet
• Troubadours and Trobiaritz flourished between
  1100 and 1350 and were attached to various courts
  in the south of France.
• Innovations
• vernacular language
• passionate love poetry influenced by Islamic
  love poetry
• voice of amour courtois
• love viewed as ennobling -- heightens ones
  sensibility

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Arthurian Legend

• Historical Romano-Celtic dux bellorum who
  fought the Anglo-Saxon invasions
• Major texts
• 12th century
• Geoffrey of Monmouths History of the Kings of
  Britain
• Chretien de Troyes romances
• 13th-14th century French prose romances
• 15th century Malory

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Bocaccios Decameron

• Collection of 100 novelle with a frame tale
• Frame tale realistically details the Black Death
  in Italy
• Novelle short tales based set in realistic
  settings with a variety of characters from all
  social classes

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The Canterbury Tales

• Geofrey Chaucers masterpiece
• Frame Pilgrimage from London to Canterbury
• Brilliant portraits of English characters
• Tales include many genres romance, sermon,
  fabilaux, lai, etc.
• Establishes English dialect as it was one of the
  first popular, well read pieces written in the
  venacular

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Christine de Pisan 1364-ca. 1430

• First European professional female author
• Prominent in the Debate about Women
• Works include courtesy books, military
  treatises, dream visions and The Book of the City
  of Women

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Religious Reform

• The growth of religious abuses
• Monastic Reform
• Cluniac Order reformed Benedictine rule
• Cistercian Order
• Franciscan Order - St. Francis, who had gathered
  a number of followers, presented his Primitive
  Rule to the Pope in 1210. He forbade followers to
  touch money and they were expected to live by
  working for alms
• Dominican Order confirmed in 1216, they led a
  life of learning, preaching and poverty.
  Forbidden to own property, begged for food
• Papal Reform
• Gregory VII (late 11th century)
• Innocent III (1198-1216)