Middle English

Courtly Love

Courtly Love

The concept that a knight's bravery and nobility could be increased by his pure adoration of a lady.

Most distinctive literature from this time often dealt with it.

Chivalry

A code of conduct supposedly followed by knights in which a knight practiced loyalty to his lord, honor in battle, and service to women.

Romance (genre)

A prose narrative about fictional characters involved in events remote in time and dealing with the adventurous, mysterious (e.g. supernatural), and chivalric.

Satire

The use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues.

The Chain of Being

A hierarchical structure for all things (living and not). Begins with God and descends through angels, humans, animals and plants to minerals.

Didn't allow for much social movement among lower classes.

What allowed the eventual rise of the middle class?

Partly due to labor shortages caused by the Black Death/Bubonic Plague

Geoffrey Chaucer

Made the English language respectable Hailed as the father of English poetry Composed his works in everyday English (which was a big change from the formal, elevated language used prior)

Author of The Canterbury Tales

The Canterbury Tales

A collection of tales written in Middle English by Geoffrey Chaucer.

It details 29 people going on a pilgrimage from London to Canterbury to visit the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket at Canterbury Cathedral. They partake in a storytelling contest during the journey.

The Canterbury Tales Significance

Depicts a collection of people from all social classes/walks of life as they share a common goal. It also comments on the morality of the time period.

The language it is written in (style) The strength of its spirit The personality it holds

King Arthur

Wields Excalibur Reigns over Camelot Member of the Roundtable (but not the head) Very honorable, chivalrous, and brave

Three major classes of Medieval society?

Nobility, Clergy, and Commoners

Arthurian Romance Hero...

is often flawed or has a weakness