The Middle Ages

Who is the author of Song of Roland, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and Beowulf?

Unknown

Who is the author of The Canterbury Tales?

Chaucer

Who is the author of The Inferno?

Dante

Beowolf

Hero of the epic; a brave Geatish warrior who defeats Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and later a dragon.

Hrothgar

King of the Danes; wise and aged ruler of Herot who is helped by Beowulf.

Herot

Hrothgar’s great mead hall; symbol of his kingdom’s success and community, later attacked by Grendel.

Unferth

Danish warrior who challenges Beowulf’s bravery but later lends him his sword, Hrunting.

Hrunting

Unferth’s sword, given to Beowulf before fighting Grendel’s mother; fails in battle.

Grendel

Monster descended from Cain; terrorizes Herot until killed by Beowulf.

Merewif (Grendel’s Mother)

Vengeful swamp monster who attacks to avenge her son’s death.

Dragon

Ancient, treasure-guarding creature; Beowulf’s final foe, whom he kills but dies fighting.

Wiglaf

Loyal warrior who helps Beowulf fight the dragon; becomes his successor.

Chanson de geste

A medieval French epic poem celebrating heroic deeds, like The Song of Roland.

Charlemagne

King of the Franks and Holy Roman Emperor; leads the Christian army against the Saracens.

Einhard

Charlemagne’s real-life biographer (not a character in the poem, but historically connected).

Count Roland

Charlemagne’s brave nephew and hero of the poem; dies defending France at Roncevaux Pass.

Oliver

Roland’s wise friend and fellow knight; values reason over pride

Archbishop Turpin

Warrior priest who fights alongside Roland and blesses the fallen knights.

Ganelon

Roland’s stepfather who betrays Charlemagne’s army out of jealousy.

Durendal

Roland’s indestructible sword, said to contain holy relics.

First Crusade

Historical Christian war that the poem helped inspire through its themes of holy battle.

Roncevaux (Roncevaux Pass)

The mountain pass where Roland and his men make their final stand.

Oliphant

Roland’s horn, symbolizing bravery and pride, which he blows too late for help.

Roland’s Death

Roland dies heroically after blowing the Oliphant, showing loyalty and sacrifice.

Charlemange’s revenge

Charlemagne avenges Roland by defeating the Saracens, showing divine justice and his loyalty to his men.

Sir Gawain

A noble knight of King Arthur’s court known for his honor, courage, and loyalty.

King Arthur

Legendary king of Camelot who represents ideal kingship and chivalry.

Green Man

A mysterious figure who tests Gawain’s honor and represents nature and rebirth.

Morgan Le Fay

A sorceress and Arthur’s half-sister who manipulates events to test Gawain.

Bertilak

The lord of the castle who is later revealed to be the Green Knight.

Pentangle

A five-pointed star on Gawain’s shield symbolizing his five knightly virtues.

Virgin Mary

Gawain’s spiritual guide whose image on his shield gives him strength and faith.

Deer

Represents innocence, courtesy, timid, and skiddish

Boar

Represents courage and aggression

Fox

Represents sly, cunning, clever, and deceit

Year and a day cycle

The time Gawain is given before facing the Green Knight again, symbolizing a complete test of character.

Thomas a Becket

The Archbishop of Canterbury martyred for defending the church’s authority against the king.

Frame Narrative

A story within a story, as in The Canterbury Tales.

Knight (CT)

The model of chivalry and honor among Chaucer’s pilgrims.

Prioress (CT)

A nun who tries to act noble and refined but reveals vanity and worldliness.

Monk (CT)

A religious man who enjoys hunting and wealth instead of strict devotion.

Friar (CT)

A corrupt religious figure who takes bribes and manipulates people for money.

Merchant (CT)

A worldly man concerned with profit and appearances.

Clerk (CT)

A poor but devoted scholar who values learning over wealth.

Sergeant of the Law (CT)

A successful lawyer known for his wisdom and social status.

Franklin (CT)

Wealthy landowner, enjoys hospitality and pleasure.

Haberdasher (CT)

Tradesman, part of a successful guild

Dyer (CT)

Tradesman who dyes cloth, part of the guilds.

Weaver (CT)

Tradesman who weaves cloth, part of the guilds.

Carpenter (CT)

Tradesman, part of the guilds.

Carpet Maker (CT)

Tradesman, part of the guilds

Shipman (CT)

Sailor, experienced but morally loose.

Doctor of Physic (CT)

Learned physician, knowledgeable but greedy.

Wife of Bath (CT)

Outspoken, experienced in love and marriage.

Parson (CT)

Virtuous and devoted priest.

Plowman (CT)

Honest, hardworking farmer, ideal Christian.

Miller (CT)

Brawny, crude, cheats customers.

Manciple (CT)

Clever steward who manages finances.

Reeve (CT)

Manager of an estate, often sly and shrewd.

Summoner (CT)

Corrupt church official, abuses power

Pardoner (CT)

Corrupt church official, sells indulgences for profit

Harry Bailey (CT)

Host of the Tabard Inn, organizes the storytelling contest

King Arthur

Legendary king of Camelot

Queen

Often refers to Guinevere in Arthurian context

Knight (in the tale)

Refers to any knight in an Arthurian or medieval story (not Chaucer’s pilgrim Knight).

Crone

Often appears in Arthurian tales, like Sir Gawain, as an old woman testing or advising knights

Exemplum

A short story or anecdote used to illustrate a moral or lesson, often found in medieval literature, including The Canterbury Tales.

Dante

Italian poet and author of The Divine Comedy, journeying through Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven.

Virgil

Roman poet and Dante’s guide through Hell and Purgatory.

Leopard

Symbol of lust and fraud in Dante’s Inferno, encountered in the opening forest.

Lion

Symbol of pride and violence in Dante’s journey.

She-Wolf

Symbol of avarice and greed blocking Dante’s path.

Beatrice

Dante’s idealized love who guides him spiritually from Heaven

Sins of Incontinence

Sins of lack of self-control, such as lust, gluttony, and wrath.

Minos

Judge of the damned in Hell who assigns souls to circles.

Paolo and Francesca

Lovers punished in Hell for adultery, appearing in Dante’s Inferno.

Cerberus

Three-headed dog guarding the circle of gluttons in Hell.

Plutus

Demon of wealth guarding the avaricious in Hell.

Dis

The lower part of Hell in Dante’s Inferno, containing the more serious sins.

The Fates

Mythological figures controlling human destiny.

Medusa

Gorgon whose gaze turns people to stone, appears as a threat in Dante’s Hell.

Minotaur

Mythical half-man, half-bull, representing violence in Dante’s Inferno.

Centaur

Mythical creature, guards and punishes sinners in Hell.

Capaneus

One of the Seven Deadly Sinners in Dante’s Inferno, struck by divine fire.

Easter Morning

Christian symbol of resurrection and hope, important in medieval religious texts.

Four Humors

Medieval medical theory that health depends on balancing blood, phlegm, black bile, and yellow bile.

Sanguine

Cheerful and sociable personality, associated with blood.

Phlegmatic

Calm and unemotional personality, associated with phlegm.

Melancholic

Thoughtful and sad personality, associated with black bile.

Choleric

Ambitious and angry personality, associated with yellow bile.

Black Death

Deadly pandemic in the 14th century that killed millions in Europe.

Bubonic Plague

Form of the Black Death spread by fleas, causing swollen lymph nodes.

Pneumonic Plague

Airborne form of the plague affecting the lungs, highly contagious

“Ring Around the Rosy”

Nursery rhyme linked to the symptoms of the plague.

Feudalism

Medieval political system where lords grant land to vassals in exchange for service.

Manorialism

Economic system of the Middle Ages organizing rural estates around self-sufficient manors.

Fief

Land granted by a lord to a vassal in return for loyalty and service.

Vassal

Person who pledges loyalty and service to a lord in exchange for land.

Fealty

Formal oath of loyalty a vassal swears to a lord.

Cycle Plays

Series of medieval religious plays performed in sequence, often depicting biblical stories.