Medieval literature

From Spoken Words to Written Works Since the dawns of civilizations, people have used literature not only to express their feelings and their imagination but also to narrate what happened on their surroundings. During the medieval period there was a sudden rebirth of literature. Spoken legends orally composed were transformed into written poems and hymns. New writing styles were introduced by those poets and scholars who traveled with the Crusaders – people who went on expeditions for the recovery of the Holy Land. Medieval courtyards became full of songs when the medieval composers, also known as troubadours, sang about famous battles that involved important figures such as Charlemagne, Arthur and Roland. The theory of courtly love created…

Heros and villains are the backbones of literature. From Polyphemus in the Odyssey to Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter series, villains create conflict, create for contrast, add drama and excitement to stories, and serve as the drivers of the plotline. In different eras of literature, villains take on different shapes and sizes, and serve different purposes. In Medieval Literature, the purpose of a villain is to act as a foil for the hero character. In doing so, the villain brings out the…

2. How does medieval literature present the experience of romantic love? The romances of medieval literature are often very different from what a modern audience would expect from a ‘romance’ in the twenty first century. However, our modern conception of romance, and indeed ‘chivalry’, owe a lot to their medieval precursors. From the middle ages, the concept of courtly love, described by the Encyclopaedia Britannica as a “highly conventionalised code the prescribed the behaviour of ladies…

In my study during this course, I have noticed a pretty clear divide between the Medieval Era and the Victorian Era. The Medieval texts were often complex and exaggerated narratives. On the other hand, the Victorian texts were rather simplistic in nature. Personally, works that depict realistic situations have more credibility. Therefore, Victorian era works of literature serve as a more accurate representation of childhood as opposed to Medieval literature. To support this argument, I will…

Early medieval writing at face value, seem to have a very little effect on the modern new age today. However, this is not to be true. Most of the world early literature and beliefs come from more than just a medieval legend or a man with a sword, who slays dragons as if it’s was a normal daily routine. There is more than meets the eye when talking about early literacy. A small example of this would be the writings on spirituality, sexuality and how medieval literature has added to the modern day…

Throughout medieval literature tales of knights, maidens, and dragons are painted. Throughout these stories a bold imprint of chivalry is shown in stories to Inspire and excite the reader. The code to knights was more then a code or a story, but a law. And due to medieval authors it has been able to be read by many cultures and people. One of the top influences of medieval literature is the chivalric code, which maintained fear and respect for god, protection of the defenseless, and an oath to…

The Unexpected Dimensions of “Lanval” The time period spanning from the fall of Rome in the fifth century all the way to the end of the fifteenth century is what most refer to as the Middle Ages. This period in time lasted nearly a thousand years and with it many great works of literature came about. Some which are still studied in the modern day. These works were passed down orally from one generation to the next as many were illiterate, books at the time were mainly written in Latin, and only…

for a married lady to give a token to a knight of her choice to be worn during their tournament. The concept of courtly love is also combined with the code of chivalry which forms the ideal medieval world of brave and elegant knights. One…

There is always a desire as a reader to be able to identify a hidden meaning in a tale or story, especially middle English literature. Geoffrey Chaucer and John Gower were two famous authors of that time and conveniently wrote tales that seem to relate to each other in many ways, and are opposite in many ways as well. Both tales have knights being asked to make a choice, one that will affect their knighthood as well as their future. Both tales have an old hag challenging the morals of the…

What is love? Love is that overwhelming feeling of affection for another being. Love has had many definitions over time and has morphed into many contentious things, but it remains a central notion to existence. Courtly Love is a contentious clarity of love that appeared in the Middle Ages. It was one of loves many but important polemic junctures. Courtly Love was a popular and controversial concept in the Middle Ages that emphasized chivalry and contradicted the Christian church. Courtly Love…