Middle English Period- brief

Lesson 3:

#Literature

1066-1500 

Middle English Period

Time: 

1100-1500, it started with The Norman Conquest (1066).

Features: 

This period is about transition and experiment. Many of the works are anonymously done. The domination of poetry- authors are clergies.

Famous works:

Chronicles during this period is an unusual number of verse. Layamon's Brut was written by Layament, a monk of Arley Kings.

Poetry:

• Religious Poetry:       

The Ormulum

The Cursor Mundi

Poema Morale

• Metrical Romances

The Matter of Britain

The Matter of France

The Matter of Rome

• Secular Poetry

The Owl & The Nightingale

• Chronicles

Layamon's Brut

Cadwallader

• Alternative Poetry

Purity

Pearl

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

The Age of Chaucer (sub period)

Time: 

135-1450, it includes the reign of Edward III and the long French Wars.

Features: 

Edward III and his grandson Richard II and the revolution 1399, the deposition of Richard II, the foundation of Lancastrian Dynasty. The terrible plague: Black Death

Famous works:

Geoffrey Chaucer: (Is also called the Father of English Poetry, a  great modern poet.

• French Period: "The Romaunt of the Rose", "The Compleynte Unto Pite" etc.
• Italian Period: "Triolus and Criseyde", "The House of Fame"
• English Period: "The Canterbury Tales"

Scottish Poets: 

• James I--> "The King's Quair"
• Sir David Lyndsay--> "The Dreme" in royal stanza, "The Testament of Cresseid of Squyer Meldrum"
• Robert Henryson--> "Moral Fabillis of Esope", "The Testament of Cresseid"- a tragic conclusion of that of the Chaucer.
• William Dunbar--> (The chief of the Chaucerian Scottish Poets) --> "Golden Targe",  "The Thrissil and the Rois" celebrating the marriage of James IV, "The Lament for the Makaris"  when Robert Henryson died.
• Gawin Douglas--> "The Police of Honour", "King Hart", Conscience", The Aeneid"

Other Poets:

• William Langland--> Piers Plowman
• John Gower--> "Confessio Amantis", "Vox Clamantis"
• John Barbour--> Bruce

Prose Writers:

• Reginald Peacock--> "The Repressor of over- much Blaming of the Clergy", " The Book of Faith"
• William Caxton-->  Printed in English and translated many from Latin, French and Dutch- "The Game Play of the Chesse"
• John Fisher--> "The Ways to Perfect Religion" - a rhetorical Religious book
• Sir Thomas More--> Utopia", The Life of John Picus ", The Historie of Richard III"

Middle English Prose: 

• Ancrene Riwle, Ayenbite of Inwit - important works
• Sir John Mandeville, Sir Thomas Malory, Wycliffe- writers

Origin of Drama:

• Miracle Plays
• Morality Plays--> Every Man
• Interlude

*Age of Chaucer covers the reign of three English Monarchs namely Edward III, Richard II and Henry VI

*Black Death--> 1348-49 {1362, 67, 70}