A Study of The Canterbury Tales and Sir Gawain and the Green KnightTable of Contents The Journey Begins . . . England in the Middle Ages Focus question Geoffrey Chaucer The Canterbury Tales Travelers to Canterbury Chaucer¶s Middle Ages Population Sir Gawain and the Green Knight The Green Knight Sir Gawain Works Cited The Journey Begins . . . In October 1066, a daylong battle near Hastings, England, changed the course of history. The FRENCH arrive! (in England) (and they win) (and now they rule) (and everyone. they must speak the French) .William the Conqueror wins the Battle of Hastings. England in the Middle Ages Lower. and upper-middle classes developed in the cities. middle. . They brought contact with Eastern mathematics. astronomy. . architecture.England in the Middle Ages The Crusades extended from 10951270. and crafts. England in the Middle Ages The Magna-Carta made an inroad into unrestrained royal power. . Some say it forms the basis for constitutional government. England in the Middle Ages The Hundred Years¶ War (1337-1453) was the first national war waged by England. . Fleas on rats carried the bubonic plague which killed thousands of people. .England in the Middle Ages The Black Death (1348-1349) brought the end of the Middle Ages. in Europe. England in the Middle Ages Feudalism replaced the Nordic social system. Women had no political rights. Most men are serfs. Men above the serf class serve in the military²Knighthood. Chivalry and courtly love served as the system of social codes . How do the writings of the Middle Ages represent the lives. loves. loyalties. . and humor of humanity? Discover the answer by reading The Canterbury Tales and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Geoffrey Chaucer c. . government servant. http://www. 1343-1400 Considered the father of English poetry Wrote in the vernacular Served as a soldier. .unc.edu/depts/chaucer/index. and member of Parliament Introduced iambic pentameter First writer buried in Westminster Abbey Learn more about Chaucer. Go to.html . The characters are a concise portrait of an entire nation. . and eternal life. The characters tell stories that reflect ³everyman´ in the universal pilgrimage of life. The pilgrimage is a quest narrative that moves from images of spring and awakening to penance.The Canterbury Tales: Snapshot of an Age It frames a story of characters on a religious pilgrimage to Canterbury. death. Chaucer¶s Snapshot of the Middle Ages Population . Characters from The Canterbury Tales Knight Squire Ruling Class Monk Friar Prioress Parson Summer Pardoner Clergy Class Merchant Reeve Franklin Doctor Oxford Student Wife of Bath Sergeant-at-Law Guildsmen Cook Miller Skipper Manciple Middle Class Trade Class Peasant Class Plowman Yeoman . and magical powers from the pagan world hero who is on a noble adventure or quest loose. episodic structure elements of courtly love ideals of chivalry time frame of a year and a day .Conventions of Medieval Romance unprovoked and violent fighting mystical place and time (the Dark Ages) supernatural elements. The Green Knight wants to exchange ³one blow for another.The Green Knight He challenges King Arthur¶s knights to a New Year¶s game. .´ The stranger will stand for the first blow if the other knight will agree to have his turn in a year and a day. Gawain resists--all but one advance. He honors his word and searches for the knight¶s Green Chapel. Gawain finds a lord and his lady on his quest who offer him shelter on Christmas day. . The Green Knight reveals himself to be the lord and spares Gawain for his honesty. The lord has the lady tempt Sir Gawain three times on the rules of courtly love.Sir Gawain Sir Gawain accepts the Green Knight¶s challenge. During the later middle ages.Chivalric Code and Introduction to Courtly Love Chivalry is from the French word. There were many others. The chivalric code influenced the formation of religious military orders during the period of the Crusades. chivalry had become largely as system of etiquette and the knights a source of entertainment during tournaments ± which themselves gradually became less threatening to the participants. or knight. The now famous Knights Templar are among the noted knights. meaning horseman. chevalier. . Fortitude. Hope.Chivalric Code and Introduction to Courtly Love The chivalric code combined Christian virtues with military virtues: Temperance. women. Prudence and Justice Faith. Charity Valor and strength in battle Loyalty to God and King Courtesy towards enemies Generosity towards the sick. widows and the oppressed Courtly Love* . What happened to Chivalry? Finally. knighthood became simply an honor. and former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani. Knighted folks include: Paul McCartney. Laurence Olivier. and those eligible for it today can skip the military bit. Today. knights can be just regular people who have done something special. The honor is used for notable artists and other doers of good deeds. . The easy attainment of love makes it of little value. If love diminishes. Difficulty of attainment makes it prized A new love puts flight to an old one. it quickly fails and rarely revives .Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Have the rules of love changed? The Art of Courtly Love ( twelfth century document) listed several rules of love: No one can be bound by double love. Adultery and the Religion of Love´ April Très Riches Heures of the Duc de Berry .S. Lewis: ³Humility.Courtly Love C. Courtesy. The "rules" for this game are roughly: worship of the chosen lady declaration of passionate devotion virtuous rejection by the lady renewed wooing with oaths of eternal fealty moans of approaching death from unsatisfied desire heroic deeds of valor which win the lady's heart consummation of the secret love endless adventures and subterfuges tragic end . . and resurrection of Jesus Christ. crucifixion.Theater Mystery Plays and Miracle Plays: Bible stories and lives of the Saints Morality Plays: Didactic allegories. such as Everyman Passion Plays: Depicting the events relating to the trial. tells a story) intended to be sung no known author passed along orally four-line stanzas repeated key phrases OR regularly repeated section dialogue .e.Folk Ballads narrative poem (i.. ' When he dies. she is stricken with grief and dies soon after. I think you're dying. she is called to his deathbed but all she can say is. Often. Most versions can be summarized thus: a young man is dying of unrequited love for Barbara Allen.FOLK BALLADS ´Barbara Allenµ ³Barbara Allen´ There are HUNDREDS of versions of the folk ballad Barbara Allen that dates from Medieval England. 'Young man. a briar grows from . youtube. Often. my dear friends all. she is stricken with grief and dies soon after. a briar grows from her grave and a rose from his.FOLK BALLADS ´Barbara Allenµ ³Barbara Allen´-. The famous refrain: Young man. adieu.com/watch?v=ZD8N-SzrXjQ . until they grow together.youtube. I think you re dying Adieu.com/watch?v=rRgH_0zxqQE&feature=related Johnny Cash version http://www.continued When he dies. And be kind to Barbara Allan http://www. com/watch?v=UooMssjjci0 .Folk Ballads ´Lord Randallµ O where hae ye been.youtube. my son? For I m weary wi hunting. http://www. Lord Randall. and fain wald lie down. Current Connections The English fiction writer Dorothy L.com/watch? v=gKmxEJLcsIQ . In the early 1960s Bob Dylan borrowed the lyric structure of ³Lord Randall´ for his song "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall". http://www.youtube. a murder mystery about a man apparently murdered by his lover. Sayers used a phrase from some variants for the title Strong Poison. youtube.DIALECT dialect = the specific form of a language used by a speech community Scottish dialect BORDER RAIDS ³Twa Corbies´ http://www.com/wat ch?v=w7I8RlrnTE&feature=relate d .youtube.com/watch?v= QSL0QO54JpM Sung http://www. .Folk Ballads narrative poem (i.e. tells a story) intended to be sung no known author passed along orally four-line stanzas repeated key phrases OR regularly repeated section dialogue . Ballad of the Green Berets Fighting soldiers from the sky Fearless men who jump and die Men who mean just what they say The brave men of the Green Beret Silver wings upon their chest These are men.youtube. America's best One hundred men we'll test today But only three win the Green Beret http://www.com/watch?v=FLcoA8El3mI . off nature's land Trained in combat. from the Green Beret Silver wings upon their chest These are men. hand to hand Men who fight by night and day Courage deep.Trained to live. America's best One hundred men we'll test today But only three win the Green Beret . Back at home a young wife waits Her Green Beret has met his fate He has died for those oppressed Leaving her this last request Put silver wings on my son's chest Make him one of America's best He'll be a man they'll test one day Have him win the Green Beret . he lives in a hobbit-hole and everybody knows him Bilbo! Bilbo! Bilbo Baggins He's only three feet tall Bilbo! Bilbo! Bilbo Baggins The bravest little hobbit of them all Now hobbits are a peace-lovin' folks you know They don't like to hurry and they take things slow They don't like to travel away from home They just want to eat and be left alone But one day Bilbo was asked to go on a big adventure to the caves below. to help some dwarves get back their gold that was stolen by a dragon in the days of old. that brave little hobbit whom we all admire. fuzzy. just a-sittin' on a treasure of silver and gold a-puffin' on his pipe in his hobbit-hole.In the middle of the earth in the land of the Shire lives a brave little hobbit whom we all admire. Bilbo! Bilbo! Bilbo Baggins He's only three feet tall Bilbo! Bilbo! Bilbo Baggins The bravest little hobbit of them all . woolly toes. Bilbo! Bilbo! Bilbo Baggins He's only three feet tall Bilbo! Bilbo! Bilbo Baggins The bravest little hobbit of them all Well he fought with the goblins! He battled a troll!! He riddled with Gollum!!! A magic ring he stole!!!! He was chased by wolves!!!!! Lost in the forest!!!!!! Escaped in a barrel from the elf-king's halls!!!!!!! Bilbo! Bilbo! Bilbo Baggins The bravest little hobbit of them all Now he's back in his hole in the land of the Shire. With his long wooden pipe. ³Barbara Allen´ . . ´ Elements of Literature Sixth Course. Ed. Hoyt.lib.edu/camelot/gawmenu. . Hoyt.htm>.´ 1903. 2003 <http://wwwlib. Austin. Robert R. T101-T104. Austin. 2003 <http://www. Ian. May 16.Works Cited Home Brown. Ed.´ 2002.rochester. ³Geoffrey Chaucer. 1977. May 16. 1977.htm>. King of Orkney. Robert R. Pyle.´ Elements of Literature Sixth Course. ³The Green Knight. Howard. ³The Canterbury Tales: A Snapshot of an Age.rochester.edu/camelot/gawmenu. T99. ³Sir Gawain the Son of Lot.