Topic 2: Medieval English Literature

Medieval Period
It is originally spelled as "Mediaeval", comes from Latin, meaning middle ages.

Introduction to Medieval English Literature

Medieval English Literature refers to works that were produced in English from about
the fall of Rome (late 400s CE) to the invention of the printing press in the 15th century.

Main Influence of Medieval English Literature

● Feudalism - model of government predating the birth of the modern nation-state.
● The Church - Christianity and Muslim
● Code of Conduct called Chivalry - The concept of chivalry formed the character
of knights.

Metrical Romance
- Metrical Romance is also known as romantic poetry.
- Metric Romans were initially introduced to England by the Normans in the 12th
century, during the high renaissance.

Materials of Medieval Romances

● The Matter of Britain
● The Matter of Rome
● The Matter of France

Famous Romances
1. Sir Perceval
• He is best known for being the original hero in the quest for the Grail
• The quest of Holy Grail

2. Chretien de Troyes
• Great 12th century French poet who wrote Arthurian romances
• (Erec et Enide,
Cligés,
• Yvain (Le chevalier au lion)
• Lancelot (Le chevalier de la charrette)
• Perceval (Le conte du Graal)

3. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

• is a late 14th-century chivalric romance in Middle English.
• one of the best-known Arthurian stories, with its plot combining two types of folk
motifs: the beheading game, and the exchange of winnings.

4. Thomas Malory’s Morte de’ Arthur

• His story includes not only the birth and death of Arthur himself, but also individual
histories of some of the most prominent knights of the Round Table.

King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table

Roger Lancelyn Green
-a British biographer and children's writer. He was an Oxford academic who formed part
of the Inklings literary discussion group along with C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien.
Born: 1918 in Norwich, England,
Death: October 1987
Famous Works:
•The Adventures of Robinhood
•Tales of the Greek Heroes: Retold From the Ancient Authors
•Tales of Ancient Egypt

Brief Background
King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table is a retelling of the Arthurian legends,
principally Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur, by Roger Lancelyn Green. It was
intended for a child audience. The Knights of the Round Table were characters in the
legends about King Arthur. They were the best knights in King Arthur's kingdom, and
lived in King Arthur's castle, Camelot. They were called the Knights of the Round Table
because of a special table that was in Camelot, that was round instead of rectangular.

Analysis
Genre: Arthurian Legend/Arthurian Romance
Tone: formal, idyllic, and romantic
Theme: love, betrayal, heroism, and loss
Language: Brittonic, Celtic language

Characters
1. King Arthur - King of the Round Table. Man who drew the sword out of the stone.
2. Morgana Le Fay - sister of King Arthur; evil enchanter
3. Guinevere - Queen of the Round Table and wife of Arthur.
4. Lancelot - greatest knight of the Round Table; fell in love with Guinevere.
5. Mordred - is the result of an incestuous union between King Arthur and his half-sister
Morgana, the latter of whom would seek the former's downfall, using her own son to do
so.
6. Merlin - The magician who acted as King Arthur's advisor
7. Sir Ector - Sir Ector was a nobleman and knight who was entrusted with Arthur as a
young child by Merlin the Magician.
8. Sir Galahad- was the son of Sir Lancelot and Elaine.
9. Sir Bedivere - A truly deep and fervent supporter of King Arthur from the very start,
Sir Bedivere never waned from that support.
10. Sir Gawain, Percival and Bors - 3 knights who found the holy grail.

PLOT
Exposition Arthur, son of the Late King Uther
Pendragon, pulls a sword from a stone.
This act proves that he is the rightful king
of Britain. At sixteen, Arthur is crowned
king and Merlin becomes one of his most
valuable advisers.

Rising Action • King Arthur institutes the Knights of the

Round Table after marrying Guinevere.
Sir Lancelot becomes one of the mightiest
champions.
• Not long after their marriage, there was
another invasion of Britain. Arthur and his
knights were again victorious.
• Sir Galahad also becomes one of the
knights of the Round Table
• Quest for the Holy Grail

Climax King Arthur and his knights left Britain to

go to war and he ordered Mordred to rule
the land temporarily until he returns, but
Mordred is not loyal. He betrayed Arthur
and became the King of Britain. Arthur
return and they wind up in a vicious battle.

Falling Action At the end of the battle, King Arthur took

his spear and killed Mordred. But
Mordred's sword went through Arthur's
helmet and his head.

Denouement The great king was dying. He ordered Sir

Bedivere to take the sword and him to the
Lady of the Lake and Arthur slowly
disappeared.
ARCHETYPES
Archetype Description

The Hero King Arthur, an archetype hero, was a

warrior, a knight and a king who killed
giants, witches and monsters and led a
band of heroes on many daring
adventures.

The Villain Mordred, King Arthur’s son, is the classic

Villain. The illegitimate son of King Arthur
born out of wedlock with his half-sister
Queen Margawse of Orkney, Mordred’s
existence was not known by King Arthur.

The Mentor In Malory, Merlin is Arthur's mentor,

instrumental in every aspect of his life
from his conception to his education, his
rise to power, and his vision of a kingdom
ruled through justice and goodwill.

THEMES
Theme Textual Evidences

Love Arthur said to Guinevere, "Dear

Guinevere, I don't want to leave you
alone. Please come with me. I promise to
protect you. Your lovely presence gives
me happiness and courage."

Guinevere smiled and said, "Arthur, I am

happy to follow you."

Heroism "We must fight these five kings," said King

Arthur. "We must protect Britain."

Betrayal Mordred told everyone that Arthur was

killed in the war, in France. Mordred
became King of Britain.

SYMBOLS
Symbol Meaning

Sword/Excalibur Arthur's sword, symbol of divine

kingship, is as much a character in the
 legend as any human or supernatural
being. Excalibur is a symbol of the
responsibility of power.

Round Table As its name suggests, it has no head,

implying that everyone who sits there
has equal status.

Holy Grail The Holy Grail represents the

unattainable perfection that Arthur's
knights must strive towards.

FIGURES OF SPEECH

Figure of Speech Textual Evidence Explanation

Hyperbole and "They fought a fierce The line "until sea ran red
Personification battle by the shore, brother with blood" clearly depicts
against brother friend the usage of hyperbole on
how the war should have
against friend until the sea
ended up. This signifies the
ran red with blood" determination to win the
fight against their
opponent. The sea is also
given a human quality (ran)
which shows
personification.

Simile "The Wart ran about it like Wart is seen as a

a rabbit in its own peaceable yet energetic
complicated labyrinth. He animal, as a creature in
knew everything, tune with its settings and
everywhere, all the special unbothered by human
smells, good climbs, soft vices and ambitions. Like a
lairs" rabbit, Wart inhabits a state
of innocence in which
finding "good climbs" or
"soft lairs" is the toughest
challenge that a typical day
offers.

"There was a moment of Comparing a movement of

intermingling with a noise the battle to "thunder"
like thunder, the spectacle underscores the overall
of broken lances sailing in dynamism and seriousness
 the air while horses pawed of the action, yet such a
that element before they broad sense of battle is
went down backward" complemented by smaller
observations: the lances
sailing (in a metaphorical
turn) are a minute detail
that helps White move from
a panoramic to a close-up
view of the discord.

Anaphora "To arms! Lords and As the force of King Arthur

Knights, to arms! The and his allies invaded the
enemy is upon us! To host of eleven kings, their
arms! To arms! sentinels were allert with
the sound of the coming
host and cry loud as they
run through the camp
saying the line, "To arms!
Lord's and Knights, to
arms! The enemy is upon
us! To arms! To arms!"
Hence, the repetition of the
words "to arms" obviously
show the anaphora of the
text.

The Canterbury Tales

Geoffrey Chaucer
- an English poet, author, and civil servant best known for The Canterbury Tales. He
has been called the "Father of English literature", or, alternatively, the "Father of English
poetry".
Born: sometime between 1340 and 1344
Death: October 25, 1400
Famous Works: “Hous of Fame”, “Legend of Good Women”, “The Book of the Duchess”

Brief Background
The Canterbury Tales is a frame narrative, or a story told around another story or
stories which was written by Geoffrey Chaucer in 1387 and continued until his death in
1400. The frame of the story opens with a gathering of people at the Tabard Inn in
London who are preparing for their journey to the shrine of St. Becket in Canterbury.
This is a yearly occurrence, and Chaucer is among the people preparing for the journey.
The Host of the inn suggests that they all take turns telling a tale as they travel.
Whoever tells the best tale, to be judged by the Host, will receive a free meal upon their
return.

Analysis
Genre: Frame Narrative, Poetry
Tone: pious to plain to comical
Mood: Comedy
Style: rhyming couplets in iambic pentameter
Language: Middle English
Purpose: aims to critique the hypocrisy of the church and the social problems posed by
Medieval politics and social custom.

Characters
1. The Wife of Bath
-is a seamstress and professional wife who has been married five times. She is a strong
woman who has found that she can use her body to control her husband, whom she
likens to slaves.

2. The Squire
-is a young knight in training, a member of the noble class. While he is chivalrous and
genteel, he is not quite as perfect as his father, the Knight, as he wears fine clothes and
is vain about his appearance.
-Squire's most significant traits are his amorousness, inexperience, chivalry, and skill.

3. The Host
A cheerful, friendly person, the Host focuses the pilgrims and keeps the storytelling
contest from devolving into chaos. Although Chaucer narrates the events of the frame
story, the Host takes charge of the contest and creates structure.

4. The Knight
In the narrator's eyes, the Knight is the noblest of the pilgrims, embodying military
prowess, loyalty, honor, generosity, and good manners. The Knight conducts himself in
a polite and mild fashion, never saying an unkind word about anyone.

5. The Narrator
The narrator (Geoffrey Chaucer) appears to be naive, yet in reality, he is very
observant. He sees peoples' real personalities vividly. Moreover, he uses dramatic irony
to describe the characters, their striving, and how they contradict each other.

6. The Miller
Miller, one of the pilgrims on the trip to Canterbury, is a large, brawny man known for his
prowess as a wrestler. Chaucer says that because of the Miller's strength and
temperament, he always wins when he participates in wrestling matches on festival
days.

Chaucer's Method
Chaucer identified 'archetypes' to represent the main professions or positions in his
society.
● Feudal (Farm/Military)
● Ecclesiastical (Church/Politics)
● Urban (Business/Service)

ARCHETYPES
Archetype Description

The Knight A common and typical archetype is the

knight; his tale is very popular among
readers. Since knight is associated with
knighthood and knights, thus would be
recognizable to readers of the poet.

The Housewife The Wife of Bath, an archetypal

housewife, is a home-hardened woman
with a love for extravagance and night-
life. The Wife of Bath represents the
common housewife as well as the
commoner’s need for extravagance.

The Hypocritical Friar The Friar, another pilgrim, particularly

likes young women and rich men who can
cater to what he needs or wants in the
story. The narrator tells readers that he is
highly susceptible to bribes.

THEMES
Tale Theme Textual Evidences

The Wife of Bath's Tale Love, Marriage, Feminism This knight reflects and
sighs deeply, but at last, he
said in this manner: "my
lady and my love, and
wife so dear, I put myself
 in your wise control.
Choose yourself that which
may be most pleasant, and
most honor to you and me.
I do not care between
either of the two, as what
you like, it will satisfy me.”

“A women wanted self-

same sovereignty,
Over her husband as over
her lover,
And master him, he must
not be above her.”

The Squire's Tale Love, Kindness A long while waiting there

the princess stood,

Till at the last she spoke, in

her voice clear,

Unto the hawk, as you’ll

hereafter hear.

“What is the cause, if it be

one to tell,

That you are in this furious

pain of hell?"

Said Canace unto this

hawk above.

“Is this for sorrow of death

or loss of love?

The Knight's Tale Love and Competition And with that word Arcite
see
Where this lady roamed to
and fro,
And with that sight, her
beauty hurt him so,
That if Palamon was sorely
wounded
 Arcite is as hurt as much
as he or more.

General Themes
● Importance of company
● Country Love
● Gender Role
● Corruption of the Church

SYMBOLS
Tale Symbol Meaning

The Wife of Bath's Tale Old Hag The old hag symbolizes
that true beauty lies within.
Whether ugly or fair,
women should be obeyed
in all things by their
husbands.

The Squire's Tale Ring The ring symbolizes

kindness. This is one of the
exclusive gifts that
Princess Canace received
which allows her to
understand and
communicate with animals
like the lady falcon.

The Knight's Tale Amphitheater The amphitheater (or

stadium) that Theseus
builds for Palamon and
Arcite's jousting
competition represents
Theseus's attempt to
contain their lust and
violence in a controlled,
orderly fashion.

FIGURES OF SPEECH
Figure of Speech Textual Evidence Explanation

Personification ''The drought of March The drought's capacity to

has pierced unto the root pierce and bathe the roots
 And bathed each vein with is an example of
liquor that has power To personification because the
generate therein and sire action verbs that are
ascribed to the drought are
the flower; When Zephyr
things that people, not
also has, with his sweet weather conditions, usually
breath, Quickened again, do. The Zephyr, which is
in every holt and heath,... the wind, is described as
So Nature pricks them on having ''sweet breath.''
to ramp and rage.'' While it makes sense to
compare the wind with
breathing, breathing is
something that only living
things are capable of
doing. Finally, saying that
Nature pricks them
provides Nature with a
capability that is reserved
for people. In each of these
examples, Chaucer uses
personification as a type of
figurative language that
provides a descriptive
image of the setting of the
story.

Allegory Of Engelond to The pilgrims meet in the

Caunterbury they wende, tavern, which stands in the
The hooly blisful martir for place of the sinful human
to seke, life. They journey together,
discussing various stories
That hem hath holpen and characters. Their
whan that they were journey together can be
seeke. viewed as life itself.
Bifil that in that seson on a Canterbury, their
day, destination, is an allegory
for heaven.
In Southwerk at the
Tabard as I lay
Redy to wenden on my
pilgrymage

To Caunterbury with ful

devout corage,
At nyght was come into
that hostelrye
Imagery ''He wore a dagger that The narrator is telling us
dangled from a cord that her stockings were
around his neck. The sun scarlet red, laced up tight,
had turned his skin brown.'' and that her shoes looked
soft and new. Because of
''Hir hosen weren of fyn this description, we can
scarlet reed, better picture the Wife of
Ful streite yteyd, and Bath's bright red stockings
shoes ful moyste and and fancy shoes.
newe.''

PLOT

The Wife of Bath's Tale

Exposition A knight in King Arthur's court rapes a
young woman. The King gave him a
death penalty. The Queen wants to give
him a chance, so she gave him a quest:
to discover what women most desire.

Rising Action As the time goes by, the knight, still, can’t
find the exact answer for her question
because every woman has a different
answer. Unable to discover what women
most desire, the knight meets a loathly
lady who offers to tell him the answer if he
promises to fulfill her next request of him,
so the knight agreed.

Climax The judgment day has come. The Knight

answered the Queen: “A woman wants
self-sovereignty”. His answer was correct,
and so the old lady gave her wish: to be
his lawful wife. The knight was still
disappointed so the old lady gave him 2
choices: he can either have her old and
ugly but faithful, or young and beautiful
but with no guarantee of her fidelity.

Falling Action The knight answers his wife by leaving

the decision up to her. Pleased with the
knight's answer, she rewarded him with a
kiss.
Denouement The knight and his wife live in perfect
harmony for the rest of their lives, the
young, beautiful maiden obeying her
husband in everything.

The Squire's Tale

Exposition King Cambuskan has two sons and a
daughter, Canace. It is the 20th
Anniversary of the King’s reign.
A knight attended the grand feast with his
4 gifts: a mechanical brass steed, a magic
mirror, a ring and a sword. The magic ring
was given to Canace.

Rising Action The next morning, Canace hears the

pathetic cry of a lady hawk, and through
the power of the magical ring she is
wearing, she discovers the hawk's grief.

Climax The lady hawk is broken-hearted. She

wandered over the earth. She is so weak,
in fact, that she faints in the tree.

Falling Action Canace catches her and nurses her back

to health.

Denouement The Squire's Tale does not have an

ending because the Squire was
interrupted by another pilgrim.

The Knight's Tale

Exposition In a battle with Thebes, Theseus, lord of
Athens, captures two sworn-brother
knights, Palamon and Arcite. He
imprisons them in a tower near his
garden, where his sister-in-law Emily
decides to walk one May day.

Rising Action Both men ask for help from the gods
 before the battle, which causes a conflict
to the Gods. Jupiter, the King of the Gods
resolves this by having Arcite win the
battle, but being thrown from his horse
and gravely injured.

Climax Arcite won the match. On his victory ride,

an earthquake in the stadium causes
Arcite's horse to trip, sending him
headfirst to the ground. Despite cracking
his head pretty hard, everyone is sure
that Arcite will recover but he didn’t.

Falling Action On the day of Arcite and Emile’s

marriage, Arcite used his last breath to
tell Emily how great Palamon is and that
he will be relieved if the two of them end
up together.

Denouement Arcite died. Palamon and Emile got

married and live happily together.