Transcript two languages

Chapter Two
The Norman Period
1. Historical Background
2. Middle English
3. Religious Literature
4. Romance and influence of French
Literature
The Duke of Normandy ----- 1066
the end of Anglo – Saxon period
from Normandy in northern France
the beginning of the feudal society
Germanic people
English throne
promise
the last
Saxon king
William
Norman Conquest
The year 1066 ushered in a new period in English history.
The Norman conquest in 1066 accelerated the
development of feudalism in England.
claimed himself William I
William
King of England
the sole owner of the land of all England
Knights
(P14)
his fellowers
his own
his relatives
baron
possess one third of the land
Church
political power
religious authority
the serfs
Conflicts:
Rebelling
ways:
uprising
feudal lords
the king
the peasants
the barons
the church
1. refuse to carry out task of labour
2. refuse to pay heavy rents on land
3. escape from land to growing towns, cities
For three centuries after the Norman conquest,
two languages were used side by side in England.
courts
Latin
French
upper classes
churches
schools
English
Angles Saxons
live animals
English names
their meat
French names
In the 14th century, English and ancient English were
completely different.
the middle – aged English
the largest proportion of surviving Middle English literature
religious
education in the church
direct claim on the
majority of literate
men
become a cleric
producer of books
maintainer of libraries
Romance was a type of literature that was very
popular in the Middle Ages.
originally
later
native language opposed to Latin
a tale in verse, the life and adventures of knights
Romance:
the spirit of chivalry
the quality and ideal of knightly conduct
love
chivalry
religion
knights
fighting
adventures
the matter of France
the matter of Rome
the matter of Britain
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
《高文爵士很难与绿衣骑士》
Time: written about 1375 -- 1400
Poet: unknown
Length: about 2,500 lines
four parts
Character:
Sir Gawain
one of the chief Arthurian knights
Part One
King Arthur
Round Table Knights
challenge who is brave enough
a tall knight dressed in green and riding on a green horse
accept the challenge
let his ax fall on the
Green Knight’s neck
Sir Gawain
the head falls down
the strange knight
picks the head up
asks Sir Gawain to look for him
at the Green Chapel on the
next New Year’s Day
Part Two
exchange
the lord
Sir Gawain
castle
his wife
on Christmas eve
depart
Sir Gawain
Arthur
seek the Green Chapel
strange adventures
wild animals
terrible men
Part Three
What happens to Gawain during the three days.
the 1st day
the 2nd day
the 3rd day
the lord hunt
kill the deer
hunt
kill the boar
hunt
kill the fox
his wife lure Gawain
lure Gawain
kiss again
kiss him,
offer a ring
Gawain resist, allow
her, kiss
resist
remain
unyielding
Part Four
bears his neck, but shrinks a little
Gawain
touches his necks and blood flows
throws the girdle at the host
returns to Arthur’s court
reprove Gawain
The Green Knight
reveal himself
the host
forgives him and gives him back
The poem is a brilliant example of the wisdom of
the minstrels of the Middle Ages. It contains
several elements which prepared ground for a
new culture.
1. a vivid portrayal and psychological analysis
2. a well unified and exciting plot with climaxes and surprises
3. The three hunting scenes and the three bedchamber scenes
4. a mixture of Anglo– Saxon poetry, the musical effect