History of English Literature in Medieval Period

History of English Literature in
Medieval Period
By: Muhammad Hisyam Alfalaq (1930104039)
Society Background
• The Middle English period lasted from about A.D. 1150 to 1400
• The Middle English period was marked by the Norman conquest of mainland
England.
• Anglo-Saxon culture was heavily influenced by Normandy culture since William's
troops defeated England.
• Because the large number of Normans who changed officials in England created a
gap between the ruling class or the aristocracy (the new ruling class) and the lower
group (the Saxon peasants).
• Along with the succession of kings in England, there were important events that
influenced the development of British society and culture in the Middle Ages.
These events include: The Crusades, the birth of the British Constitution (Magna
Carta), Parliament, the Hundred Years' War, and others.
English Literature Background
• British people generally developed Norman English or EARLY MIDDLE ENGLISH, as a

blend of French/Norman dialects with Old English.
• The gap between the Norman nobility (dukes, earls, counts) and the commoners
(Saxons) who worked as servants or slaves deepened as they spoke different
languages: the nobility spoke Norman French and the commoners in Anglo-Saxon
English.
• In the 14th century after the Anglo-Saxons managed to improve their social level,
French became desperate and English returned to being a single language.
• The most popular type of medieval literary work is "romance".
• Style of expression was bright and simple, always in a bright mood.
Medieval English Literature Figures
1. Anonymous
Many of the works of literature from the Middle English period are anonymous and obviously
the authors are not listed.
There are anthologies of Middle English literature in which the works in question – or extracts
of these – are to be found, e.g The Owl and the Nightingale, The Fox and the Wolf (both poems
in the popular ‘debate’ genre, from the late 12th century and early 13th century
respectively), The Bestiary (a set of animnal descriptions in verse which survives in an East
Midland manuscript) and the Poema Morale (an early Middle English work). Verse romances are
also found in the Middle English period, e.g. King Horn (mid 13th century) and The Lay of
Havelock the Dane (late 13th century), both tales of adventure with sub-plots concerning love.
Other works one might mention are The South English Legendary (a collection of saints lives and
events in verse form), the Acrene Wisse (a guide for closed-order nuns, cf. modern
English anchorite, anchoress ‘reclusive monk or nun’), Cursor Mundi (a history of the world).
2. Bacon, Roger (1214?-1294)

He was an English philosopher and scientist.
Bacon is one of the most prominent figures in 13th century scholastic
philosophy. He was born in Somerset and educated at Oxford and Paris. On his
return from Paris he became a Franciscan and carried out much experimental
research in natural science and in his Opus majus ‘Major work’ he expounded on
all branches of knowledge accessible at the time including grammar and logic
along with mathematics and moral philosophy..
3. Caxton, William (c.1422-1491)
He is a A merchant and later a writer who set up the first printing press in
England in 1476. A few years earlier Caxton had visited Cologne where he acquired
his knowledge in the technique of printing and returned to England via Belgium to
apply this new art. He established his base at Westminster and during his career as
publisher produced more than 90 editions of well-known and lesser known authors.
Among the former are Chaucer (Canterbury tales), Gower (Confessio amantis),
Malory (Morte d’Arthur). Caxton himself prepared some translations of works in
Latin and French. He is also famous for the prefaces which he wrote to his editions
and which are revealing documents of literary attitudes in late 15th century
England..
The Example of Medieval English Literature
• Dante, The Divine Comedy

Dante’s Divine Comedy is a trilogy of poems charting the poet’s journey
from hell (Inferno) through Purgatory (Purgatorio) to heaven (Paradiso),
guided by his fellow poet, Virgil.
• Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales

John Dryden said that Chaucer’s magnum opus contained ‘God’s plenty’,
and indeed, all human (medieval) life seems to be here, among the
pilgrims travelling from Southwark in London to Canterbury to visit the
shrine of Thomas Becket at the Cathedral. On their way, famously, the
travellers take it in turn to tell stories, many of which Chaucer adapted
from existing literary sources.
• Margery Kempe, The Book of Margery Kempe

It’s a fascinating account of a woman’s life in medieval England. It’s even
been called the first autobiography written in the language – though its
status as true autobiography has been questioned.

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History of English Literature in

• British people generally developed Norman English or EARLY MIDDLE ENGLISH, as a

2. Bacon, Roger (1214?-1294)

• Dante, The Divine Comedy

• Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales

• Margery Kempe, The Book of Margery Kempe

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