Medieval Period

“The Middle Ages”

1066-1485
The history of our English
Language can be divided into
3 periods:

1. Old English (before 1066)

2. Middle English (1066-1485)
3. Modern English (1485-present)
 Language in Transition
“Middle Ages”

 Around the year 1000, Old English

pronunciation changed when distinct vowel
sounds at the ends of words were being
dropped.

 Middle English differed from Old English in its

greater reliance upon fewer plural forms.
 Language in Transition
“Middle Ages”

 Middle English was a more

analytical language.
Stressed word order/syntax
Incorporated “function” words—
verbs
 French Invade England
October of 1066

 LeadingNormandy was Duke William

or “William the Conqueror”, who
defeated and killed the last Anglo-
Saxon king. This was the beginning of
the Norman Conquest.
 Norman Conquest

 The Norman Conquest radically changed:

 English History
 English Character
 English Language
William the Conqueror is known for
three accomplishments:

1. Creating the Domesday Book which was an

inventory of every piece of property in England.

2. Bringing the French language to England

 Creating a bilingual society
 Upper-Class: spoke French
 Lower-Class: spoke English

3. Social System known as Feudalism

 Feudalism & Knighthood

Feudalism GOD

 Religious
concept of
hierarchy. KING BARON

VASSAL

KNIGHTS SERFS
 Literature During the
Medieval Period
Languages
• Latin was the language of the
Roman Catholic Church, which
dominated Europe
• The Church was the only source
of education
• Thus, Latin was a common
language for Medieval writings.
 Types of Literature

• Troubadour Poetry (Bernart de Ventadorn)

Arthurian Legends
Epic Romances/Quests (Dante
Alighieri, Sir Gawain)
Courtly Love

•Religious Poetry (Julian of Norwich)

•Fabliaux (Geoffrey Chaucer)
•Sonnets (Petrarch)
•Sestinas (Arnaut Daniel)a
Characteristics of Medieval Literature

1. Heroism
– from both Germanic and Christian
traditions, sometimes mingled
Examples:
• Beowulf
• Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
.
 2. Presentations of idealized
behavior
literature as moral lesson
•loyalty to king
•chivalry

3. use of kennings (especially in

Beowulf)
Hyphenated expression,
representing a single noun. For
example, the epic Beowulf uses the
two-word term whale-road to refer to
the sea or ocean