Middle English literature (1066–1500)

Summary

Middle English literature, spanning from 1066 to 1500, saw a shift from Anglo-Saxon to French influence post-Norman conquest. It evolved into Middle English with regional dialects, gaining literary prominence through works like 'Piers Plowman' and 'Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.' Religious texts like Wyclif's Bible and 'Revelations of Divine Love' by Julian of Norwich contributed to its legitimacy, alongside secular works like Chaucer's 'Canterbury Tales.' The rise of the Chancery standard and the printing press eventually standardized the language.

Takeaways

• 🏰 The Norman Conquest in 1066 led to French becoming the dominant language in courts, parliament, and polite society.
• 📜 Anglo-Saxon language and literature diminished in prominence as Middle English evolved under the influence of Anglo-Norman.
• 🕊️ Religious literature remained popular, with works like 'The Life of Saint Audrey Edmonds' being adapted and translated.
• 🏰📚 Lawman's 'Brut' was a significant work that adapted Norman French to produce the first English-language historical narrative.
• 📖 Wyclif's Bible translations were instrumental in establishing English as a literary language and inspired a pre-Reformation movement.
• 🔱 The genre of romances, such as 'King Horn' and 'Havelock the Dane', appeared in English from the 13th century, based on Anglo-Norman originals.
• 🎭 Major English writers like William Langland, Geoffrey Chaucer, and the 'Pearl' poet emerged in the 14th century, contributing significantly to Middle English literature.
• 📝 'Piers Plowman' by Langland is an allegorical narrative poem notable for its unrhymed alliterative verse.
• 🏵️ 'Sir Gawain and the Green Knight' is a late 14th-century alliterative romance that explores themes of honor and chivalry.
• 🌐 Middle English literature was characterized by a diversity of dialects, reflecting the regional, historical, and cultural backgrounds of writers.
• 📚🖨️ Middle English lasted until the 1470s when the Chancery Standard and the printing press helped standardize the English language.

Q & A

What was the impact of the Norman Conquest on the English language and literature?

The Norman Conquest of England in 1066 led to the decline of the Anglo-Saxon language in written form. French became the standard language of courts, parliament, and polite society, while the Norman dialects mingled with the native language, leading to the development of Anglo-Norman and Middle English.

How did Middle English literature evolve from Anglo-Saxon literature?

Middle English evolved from Anglo-Saxon as the political power shifted, and West Saxon literary language lost its dominance. The literature of this period was written in various dialects corresponding to the regions, history, culture, and background of individual writers.

What was the role of religious literature in Middle English literature?

Religious literature continued to be popular during the Middle English period. Works like the life of Saint Audrey and Bible translations, including Wyclif's Bible, helped to establish English as a literary language.

Who was Lawman, and what is his significance in Middle English literature?

Lawman was a poet who adapted Norman French to produce the first English-language work presenting the legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. His work marked a significant step in the development of English historiography since the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle.

What is Wyclif's Bible, and why is it important?

Wyclif's Bible refers to a group of Bible translations into Middle English made under the direction of John Wycliffe between 1382 and 1395. These translations were instrumental in the pre-Reformation movement that questioned the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church and helped to establish English as a literary language.

What are some examples of Middle English romances?

Middle English romances include works like 'King Horn' and 'Havelock the Dane,' which were based on Anglo-Norman originals. These romances began appearing in English from the 13th century.

Who were the major writers of Middle English literature in the 14th century?

Major writers of Middle English literature in the 14th century included William Langland, Geoffrey Chaucer, and the Pearl Poet, known for works such as 'Piers Plowman' and 'Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.'

What is 'Piers Plowman' and why is it significant?

'Piers Plowman' is a Middle English allegorical narrative poem written by William Langland, significant for its use of unrhymed alliterative verse and its exploration of social, moral, and religious themes.

How does the language of 'Sir Gawain and the Green Knight' differ from that of Geoffrey Chaucer's works?

The language of 'Sir Gawain and the Green Knight' is from the Midlands and contains many dialect words, often of Scandinavian origin, which is markedly different from the London-based English dialect used by Chaucer.

What led to the decline of Middle English and the rise of Modern English?

Middle English declined with the widespread adoption of the Chancery Standard, a London-based form of English, and the standardization of the language through the printing press in the late 15th century.

Who was John Gower, and how does his work illustrate the multilingual nature of 14th-century English literature?

John Gower was a contemporary of William Langland and a personal friend of Chaucer. His major works, 'Vox Clamantis,' 'Speculum Meditantis,' and 'Confessio Amantis,' were written in Anglo-Norman, Latin, and Middle English respectively, showcasing the multilingual literary landscape of the time.

What is the significance of 'The Book of Margery Kempe' in the context of English literature?

Julian of Norwich's 'Revelations of Divine Love' is believed to be the first published book written by a woman in the English language, marking a significant milestone for women's voices in English literature.

Why is 'Le Morte d'Arthur' by Sir Thomas Malory important?

'Le Morte d'Arthur' is a compilation of Arthurian romances and was one of the earliest books printed in England. It was influential in reviving interest in the Arthurian legends and is considered a major work of the 15th century.

Outlines

00:00

📜 Middle English Literature: 1066 to 1500

This paragraph discusses the evolution of Middle English literature from 1066 to 1500. After the Norman Conquest, Anglo-Saxon language became less common as French dominated courts and polite society. Middle English developed from various dialects influenced by regional history and culture. Religious literature remained popular, and notable works like the life of Saint Audrey and Lawman's Brute adapted Norman French. The first English-language historiography since the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle was produced. Middle English Bible translations, particularly Wyclif's Bible, played a significant role in establishing English as a literary language and inspired a pre-Reformation movement. Romances like King Horn and Havelock appeared in English from the 13th century, with major works like William Langland's Piers Plowman and the alliterative romance Sir Gawain and the Green Knight emerging in the 14th century. The influence of French is evident, but there are also many dialect words of Scandinavian origin, especially in northwest England. Middle English continued until the 1470s when the Chancery Standard and the printing press began to standardize the language.

05:02

📚 Key Works and Authors of Middle English Literature

The second paragraph focuses on significant works and authors of Middle English literature. It mentions Julian of Norwich's 'Revelations of Divine Love' as the first published book by a woman in English, dating back to 1393. A major work from the 15th century is Sir Thomas Malory's 'Le Morte d'Arthur,' a compilation of Arthurian romances that was printed by Caxton in 1485 and was influential in reviving interest in the Arthurian legends. The paragraph also highlights the multilingual nature of literature in the 14th century, exemplified by John Gower, who wrote in Anglo-Norman, Latin, and Middle English, focusing on moral and political themes. Religious works from the 14th century, such as those by Julian of Norwich, are also noted.

Keywords

💡Middle English

Middle English refers to the form of the English language spoken between the 11th and 15th centuries, following the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. It evolved from Old English and was heavily influenced by the French language due to the new ruling class. In the context of the video, Middle English is the language in which a significant portion of the literature discussed was written, marking a transition from Old English and the influence of Anglo-Saxon to a more diverse and region-specific literary language.

💡Norman Conquest

The Norman Conquest refers to the invasion and occupation of England by the Normans in 1066, led by William the Conqueror. This event had a profound impact on the English language and literature, as French became the language of the court and the ruling class, while Anglo-Saxon was marginalized. The script discusses how this conquest led to the decline of Old English and the rise of Middle English, with French becoming the standard language of courts and literature.

💡Anglo-Norman

Anglo-Norman is a Romance language that evolved from the Old Norman language spoken by the Normans in England after the Norman Conquest. It became the language of the ruling classes and was used extensively in literature and official documents. The script mentions that the Norman dialects mingled with the native language to form Anglo-Norman, which played a significant role in the development of Middle English literature.

💡West Saxon

West Saxon was the dialect of Old English that was used as the standard written form before the Norman Conquest. After the conquest, it lost its status as the literary language due to the political shift. The script notes that political power was no longer in English hands, and thus West Saxon had no more influence than any other dialect, leading to a diversification of dialects in Middle English literature.

💡Wyclif's Bible

Wyclif's Bible refers to a group of Bible translations into Middle English made under the direction of John Wycliffe between about 1382 and 1395. These translations were instrumental in establishing English as a literary language and were a significant inspiration for the pre-Reformation movement. The script highlights Wyclif's Bible as a major work that helped legitimize Middle English in literature.

💡Allegory

An allegory is a literary device where abstract concepts and ideas are represented by characters, figures, or events. In the context of the video, 'Piers Plowman' by William Langland is described as an allegorical narrative poem, using allegory to convey moral and social commentary. This work is significant as it employs Middle English and alliterative verse to explore complex themes.

💡Arthurian Legends

The Arthurian Legends are a collection of stories and romances featuring the legendary King Arthur and his knights. The script mentions 'Le Morte d'Arthur' by Sir Thomas Malory, a compilation of these legends that was printed in 1485 and was influential in the revival of interest in the Arthurian stories. These legends were adapted into Middle English, contributing to the development of the language and its literature.

💡Alliterative Verse

Alliterative verse is a form of poetry in which the stress of accented syllables in successive lines begins with the same sound, typically a consonant. The script refers to 'Sir Gawain and the Green Knight' as a Middle English alliterative romance, highlighting the use of this poetic form in the narrative. This style was popular in Middle English literature and is characteristic of the period.

💡Chancery Standard

The Chancery Standard was a form of English that emerged in the 15th century and became widespread due to its use in official documents by the Chancery, a central administrative body. The script notes that the Chancery Standard, along with the advent of the printing press, contributed to the standardization of the English language, marking the end of the Middle English period.

💡Multilingual Literature

Multilingual literature refers to the practice of writing literature in multiple languages, often reflecting the linguistic diversity of a society. The script illustrates this concept by mentioning that during the 14th century, literature in England was written in Latin, Norman French, and English, showcasing the multilingual nature of the literary scene at the time.

💡Chaucerian

Chaucerian refers to the style or characteristics of the works of Geoffrey Chaucer, one of the most important Middle English writers. The script mentions 'The Canterbury Tales' as a collection of stories written in Middle English, primarily in verse, which are presented as part of a storytelling contest. Chaucer's work is significant for its contribution to the development of Middle English as a literary language and for its enduring influence on English literature.

Highlights

Middle English literature spanned from 1066 to 1500, influenced by the Norman Conquest.

Anglo-Saxon language became less common as French dominated courts and society.

Anglo-Norman emerged as the language of the ruling class.

Middle English developed from various regional dialects.

Religious literature remained popular during this period.

The Life of Saint Audrey is an example of religious literature from the period.

Lawman's Brut was the first English-language work on King Arthur's legends.

Wyclif's Bible translations were instrumental in establishing English as a literary language.

Wyclif's Bible inspired a pre-Reformation movement against the Roman Catholic Church.

Romance genre appeared in English with works like King Horn and Havelock the Dane.

Major English writers emerged in the 14th century, including William Langland and Geoffrey Chaucer.

Piers Plowman is an allegorical narrative poem by William Langland.

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a notable Arthurian story from the late 14th century.

The English dialect of Sir Gawain differs from that of London-based Chaucer.

Middle English period ended in the 1470s with the establishment of the Chancery standard.

Chaucer's Canterbury Tales is a collection of stories told by pilgrims on a journey.

John Gower wrote major works in Anglo-Norman, Latin, and Middle English.

Julian of Norwich's Revelations of Divine Love is the first published book by a woman in English.

Sir Thomas Malory's Le Morte Arthur was an influential compilation of Arthurian romances.

Transcripts

Middle English literature 1066 to 1500

after the Norman conquest of England in

1066 the written form of the anglo-saxon

language became less common under the

influence of the new aristocracy French

became the standard language of Courts

Parliament and polite society as the

invaders integrated their language and

literature mingled with that of the

natives and the norman dialects of the

ruling classes became anglo-norman from

then until the 12th century Anglo Saxon

underwent a gradual transition into

middle English political power was no

longer in English hands so that the West

Saxon literary language had no more

influence than any other dialect and

middle English literature was written in

the many dialects that corresponded to

the region history culture and

background of individual writers in this

period religious literature continued to

enjoy popularity and hey geographies

were written adapted and translated for

example the life of Saint Audrey Edmonds

circa 1062 circa 1126

at the end of the 12th century lawman in

brute adapted the Norman French of waste

to produce the first english-language

work to present the legends of King

Arthur and the knights of the round

table it was also the first

historiography written in English since

the anglo-saxon chronicle Middle English

Bible translations notably Wyclef's

Bible helped to establish English as a

literary language Wyclef's bible is the

name now given to a group of Bible

translations into Middle English that

were made under the direction off or at

the instigation of John Wycliffe they

appeared between about 1382 and 1395

these Bible translations were the chief

inspiration and cause of the large

movement a pre-reformation movement that

rejected many of the teachings of the

Roman Catholic Church another literary

genre that of romances appears in

English from the 13th century with King

horn and Havelock the Dane based on

anglo-norman originals such as

manse of horn circa 1170 but it was in

the 14th century that major writers in

English first appeared these were

William Langland Geoffrey Chaucer and

the so called purl poet whose most

famous work is Sir Gawain and the Green

Knight Langlands Piers Plowman written

circa 1362 87 or Vizio will Elmi depetro

Plowman williams vision of Piers Plowman

is a middle english allegorical

narrative poem written in unrhymed

alliterative verse so Gawain and the

Green Knight is a late 14th century

Middle English alliterative romance it

is one of the better-known Arthurian

stories of an established type known as

the beheading game developing from Welsh

Irish and English tradition Sir Gawain

highlights the importance of honor and

chivalry preserved in the same

manuscript with Sir Gawain were three

other poems now generally accepted as

the work of the same author including an

intricate elegiac poem pearl the English

dialect of these poems from the Midlands

is markedly different from that of the

london-based Chaucer and though

influenced by French in the scenes at

court in Sir Gawain there are in the

poems also many dialect words often of

Scandinavian origin that belonged to

northwest England Middle English lasted

until the fourteen 70s when the Chancery

standard a london-based form of English

became widespread and the printing press

started to standardize the language

Chaucer is best known today for the

canterbury tales this is a collection of

stories written in middle english mostly

in verse although some are in prose that

are presented as part of a storytelling

contest by a group of pilgrims as they

travel together from Southwark to the

shrine of st. thomas becket at

Canterbury Cathedral or Sir is a

significant figure in the development of

the legitimacy of the vernacular Middle

English at a time when the dominant

literary languages in England were still

French and Latin at this time literature

in England was being written in various

languages including Latin Norman French

and English the multilingual nature of

the

for literature in the 14th century is

illustrated by the example of John Gower

circa 1332 1408 a contemporary of

William Langland and a personal friend

of Chaucer Gower is remembered primarily

for three major works the Mia Wilde Alam

Vox Clementis and confess EOWA Montes

three long poems written in anglo-norman

Latin and Middle English respectively

which are united by common moral and

political themes significant religious

works were also created in the 14th

century including those of Julian of

Norwich circa 1342 to circa 1416 and

Richard role

Julian's revelations of divine love

about 1393 is believed to be the first

published book written by a woman in the

English language a major work from the

15th century is lamort Arthur by Sir

Thomas Malory which was printed by

Caxton in 1485 this is a compilation of

some French and English Arthurian

romances and was among the earliest

books printed in England it was popular

and influential in the later revival of

interest in the Arthurian legends thank

you

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