Medieval Background info

Folk-plays

dances, fighting, buffoonery; led to characters like Robin Hood, Maid Marian, and the Green Dragon

number of tales in Canterbury tales

24

name of inn in Canterbury tales

Tabard Inn

Mummings and disguisings

collective names for many forms of processions, shows, etc.; ex.: pageants, Elizabethan Mask

Pageants

displays put on when a king or other high-rank person would drive into town; displays showed figures from allegory or history pantomiming a story

Church’s solution to people’s inability to understand mass

Made stained glass windows to depict stories, acted out stories near altar, and sang songs

An early example of acting out a story in mass

taking Jesus’ cross down and laying it under the altar for good friday and then put back up for easter Sunday to show the death and resurrection of Jesus

Liturgical Play

depicted stories of Christian Tradition and lives of Saints on some days; formed part of the mass

Trade-guild or union

A group of workers that would act out plays based on their job (ex.: carpenter act out Noah’s Ark)

effect on authors’ experiences to plays

characters and settings changed as history changed; ex.: Roman officers → knights

the way God was shown on stage

gilded face, had long speeches of tedious declamation

Emphasis/message of plays in Medieval era

fear of Hell; vice vs. virtue

Importance of Liturgical plays

supplied religious & artistic outlet for 500 years

Mystery Play

a play about the sacred mysteries that was popular, but gradually waned in the dawning light of the Renaissance

Morality play

rose as compact retelling of Bible stories; hero is an everyman, characters are abstract allegorical characters, and often feature devil and God; themes of vice and virtue fighting to claim the hero; allowed independence for invention of the story

Opinions of morality play characters

Morality allegory stories failed because of unrealistic virtue characters; vices more popular due to relatability

interludes

no religious or ethical meaning; given for entertainment; evolved from moralities; vices begin to appear in the form of clowns

traditions formed from medieval plays

disregard for unity in setting and action; use of comedy in combo with tragedy; use stock characters

deciding battle that began the Middle Ages

Battle of Hastings; William of Normandy defeated Harold of England for the throne, beginning the norman conquest

William of Normandy

First Medieval King; killed last Anglo-Saxon king; began Norman conquest which never withdrew; battled to gain inheritance of kingdom over Harold, who he killed with an arrow to the eye; wanted to rule the Anglo-Saxons, not defeat them

Effect of Norman conquest on Anglo-Saxon culture

Anglo-Saxon culture and Norman culture combined; Normans brought administration, law, and order; Anglo-Saxons brought democratic and artistic tendencies → resulted in British culture as we know it

effect of Norman rule (land & social)

land divided to William’s followers; feudalism introduced

Feudal system

religious concept of hierarchy; God → King → barons/nobles → knights → serfs & peasants; system bound by loyalty just like Anglo-Saxon system

Knights’ Chivalry

knight code of honor;

Chivalry affect on women

made women more respected and important; still no rights tho

Courtly love

idea that acting in the name of a lady would make knight braver & better; probably inspired by Church view of Virgin Mary; built in drama for poets and writers

downfall of feudal system

towns and city life

medieval art

the people’s art; not aristocratic

Current events during Medieval period

Crusades, Bubonic Plague, Magna Carta, 100 years’ war

St. Thomas Becket

Norman chancellor/prime minister; appointed Archbishop of Canterbury by Henry II, then assassinated due to dispute with the king, causing backlash against the crown from the people

effect of Thomas’ death

allowed for a church victory over the crown, leading it to become corrupt due to lack of state corruption control

Magna Carta

by aristocrats for aristocrats; defeat central papal power; become basis of English constitution

100 years’ war

France v. England → first great national war based on disputes over the crown; claim to throne failed; actually 116 years; marks transition away from Anglo-Norman and feudal system

yeoman

small landowner; made up center of English army in France; used yard long arrows that could pierce a knight’s armor; rise of yeomen birthed modern democratic England

Effects of Black Death

1/3 of population dies → work shortage & serfs freed

Middle ages end by this king’s wedding

King Henry VII → after his wedding is the Renaissance

king Arthur

the likely fake perfect king for Britain