THE MIDDLE AGES

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THE MIDDLE AGES A.D. 450-1300
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What happened during the Middle Ages? Take
this true and false quiz.

• Chess was introduced in England.
• The Vikings developed the art of shipbuilding.
• Hats came into fashion.
• Feudalism developed.
• Crossbows were used in France.
• Marco Polo visited China.
• The Saxons were defeated at Hastings.
• The Crusades began.
• Eyeglasses were invented.
• The plague in Europe ended.

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ALL TRUE!

• Although the medieval period has been perceived
  as a static, or unchanging, interval in history,
  it was in fact a dynamic time in which new
  political, economic, and cultural institutions
  emerged.

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• The literature of the Middle Ages reflects the
  changes of the time
• from the bloody wars waged by feudal kings
  through the gruesome and exotic campaigns of the
  Crusades to the emergence of courtly love and the
  rise of the middle class and the risk-taking
  mercantile society that it nurtured.

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• Some terms you need to know

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• A knight was a person of noble birth trained to
  arms and chivalry.

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• Chivalry
• was basically a
• military code of
• behavior.

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Chivalry
A knight was supposed to be fair to his
opponents, loyal to his lord, and honorable in
all things. He was also supposed to show
Christian humility, and generosity to all.
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• Courtly love was a code of conduct for lovers.
  The knights glorious deeds were not performed in
  the service of king or country, but on behalf of
  a beautiful, fair, and noble lady, who was often
  above him in status and usually married and
  therefore unattainable.

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• The quest was the pursuit, through a series of
  adventures, or trials, of something or someone of
  special importance.

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• One of the most famous quests is the search for
  the Holy Grail.

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The Holy Grailis described as the cup from
which Christ drank at the last supper, the same
cup that is later used to collect drops of
Christsblood at the Crucifixion.
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• In France, the Breton lais were influenced by the
  idea of courtly love. The lais were short
  stories with supernatural or fairy-tale elements,
  written in verse and sung to the accompaniment of
  the lyre or the lute.

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• Chansons de geste were songs of heroic deeds.
  They were composed by French poets called
  trouveres.

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• The romances were the literary expression of
  chivalric ideals. These were long poems about
  knightly adventures that were recited by
  traveling poets.

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• The Arthurian romances were among the most
  popular of the medieval romances. The stories of
  Arthur, a legendary king, and his knights of the
  Round Table spread throughout Europe teaching
  moral lessons.

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• Themes within the selection center on the topics
  of betrayal and revenge. Selections will include

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from the Song of Roland (or, Chanson de
Roland) anonymous
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Nibelungenlied
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• The Lay of the Werewolf
• Marie de France

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• The Grail from Perceval
• Chretien de Troyes

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Song of Roland   Cultural Background Feudalism
economic and social system of medieval
Europe Vassalage (vassal) one lord swears
allegiance to another in exchange for privileges
or feuds (usually land) and owes military
service and funding in return Genre Chanson de
geste (song of deeds) French epic Epic - long
narrative poem about the deeds of gods and / or
great men Author anonymous, epic was performed
by Jongleurs, or bards, who sang or chanted the
poem in a public square many adding to the story
Laisses/Cantos stanzas Historical Background
Real - French Charlemagne, Charles the Great,
intervened in a dispute between two rival Moorish
(Muslim) rulers in Spain. While returning to
France through the Pyrenees, Charlemagnes rear
guard was attacked by Basques, not Moors, all
perished. Fictional Elements recorded 300 years
later. 200 year old Charlemagne tries to
conquer Saracen (Muslim) king Marsilion and force
Christian conversion. Ganelon offers false
treaty. Moors, rather than Basques, slaughter
rear guard in retreat due to personal revenge and
betrayal by Ganelon against his stepson,
Roland Themes betrayal, revenge, feudal loyalty,
personal valor