Transcript Introduction to Arthurx

The Medieval Period
1066-1500




A period in European history marked by the fall
of the Western Roman Empire and lasting until
the beginning of the Renaissance. (roughly 500 –
1500 AD)
Divided into three periods: Early, High, and Late
“Medieval” is an adjective used to describe
things associated with the Middle Ages.
Some scholars, especially those during the
Renaissance and Enlightenment periods, viewed
the Middle Ages as the Dark Ages, a time when
civilization was mired in superstition and
ignorance

The idea of estates, or orders,
was encouraged during the
Age, but this ordering was
breaking down.

Clergy
 Latin chiefly spoken, those who
pray, purpose was to save
everyone’s soul

Nobles
 French chiefly spoken (after
Norman Invasion), those who fight,
purpose was to protect—allow for
all to work in peace—and provide
justice

Commoners
 English spoken, those who work,
purpose was to feed and clothe all
above them
The White Tower in London…
Chartres Cathedral
part of William’s legacy
Latin -- church, schools
French -- court, castle
English -- commoners




The economic system of much
of the Middle Ages (800-1100)
Commoners (peasants) lived on a
feudal manor. The lord of the
manor gave his vassals (the
peasants) land to farm.
In return, the vassals received
protection from roving bandits.
Yet they were taxed and had to
surrender a portion of their crops
to the lord.
Feudalism is important as it
created ties of obedience and
fostered a sense of loyalty
between the vassals and their
lord.


A product of
feudalism, chivalry
was an idealized
system of manners
and morals
The Medieval knight
was bound to the
chivalric code to be
loyal to…




God
his lord
his lady
Chivalric ideals
include...
benevolence (acts of
kindness)
 brotherly love
 politeness


Provided guidance through
well known commandments:

Seven Deadly Sins
 Pride (vanity)
 Greed
 Wrath (anger)
 Envy
 Gluttony
 Sloth (laziness)
 Lust







Chastity
Temperance
Charity
Diligence
Forgiveness
Kindness
Humility


The medieval
philosophy that fate is
capricious (constantly
changing). One
minute you could be
up and then the next
minute you’re down.
Believed to be turned
by the goddess
Fortuna (Fate). Notice
again the mixture of
pagan and Christian
beliefs.


The pervading
philosophy of the
Middle Ages. Also
known as the
“Geocentric Model”,
meaning that the
universe is centered on
the earth.
People of the Medieval
period loved order!
Remember the Three
Estates, the Seven
Deadly Sins—a place
for everyone and
everyone in that place.
The “High” Middle Ages
(begin 1095)
• Begin with the First Crusade (1095)--reclaim
Jerusalem from the infidels
– Open trade routes
– Peasants (the vassals) are liberated from their
lords to fight, and die, in the Holy Lands
– Cities spring up along the crusade routes
– Feudalism dies out
– the transition to the Renaissance begins
The “High” Middle Ages
• Before, in the Dark
Ages, the Church
provided structure to
society, not only with
religion, but by
providing education,
as well.
• Sadly, with the
Crusades, the Church
becomes incredibly
corrupt.
– Popes fight for
political power
– Greed is rampant
• selling of indulgences
• Crusades for $
• We see this in
Canterbury Tales






spreads along trade routes
kills much of the population
the plague outbreaks occur
through the Middle Ages
and into the Renaissance
People believed it was the
wrath of God.
Paradoxically, the Plague provides
for continued growth in cities
 Afterwards, hundreds of new
jobs available
 Many debts “died off” with
creditors
also contributed to society’s culture



Latin was the language of the
Roman Catholic Church, which
dominated Europe
The Church was the only source of
education
Thus, Latin was a common language
for Medieval writings.


Catholic clerics were the intellectual
center of society in the Middle Ages,
and it is their literature that was
produced in the greatest quantity.
A notable amount of Medieval
literature is anonymous. Medieval
authors often tended to re-tell and
embellish stories they heard or read
rather than invent new stories.


An allegory is a figurative mode of
representation conveying a meaning other
than the literal.
Much of Medieval literature relied on
allegory to convey the morals the author
had in mind while writing--representations
of abstract qualities, events, and institutions
are thick in much of the literature of this
time.



This relationship was
modeled on the feudal
relationship between a
knight and his liege lord.
The knight serves his
courtly lady with the
same obedience and
loyalty which he owes to
his liege lord.
She is in complete
control; he owes her
obedience and
submission
The knight's love for the lady inspires him to
do great deeds, in order to be worthy of
her love or to win her favor.


“Courtly love" was not
between husband and wife
because it was an idealized
sort of relationship that
could not exist within the
context of "real life"
Medieval marriages.
In the Middle Ages,
marriages amongst the
nobility were typically based
on practical and dynastic
concerns rather than on
love.


Chivalry is the code of conduct observed by a
knight. It is a set of principles they live by.
Attributes of Chivalry: honor, courtly love,
protecting others who cannot protect
themselves


A quest is a hero’s journey towards a goal.
The objects of quests require great exertion
on the part of the hero, and the overcoming
of many obstacles.
The hero's must obtain something, or
someone, by the quest and with this object
return home.

Heroism



from both Germanic and Christian traditions,
sometimes mingled
Divine decent or accomplished
Presentations of idealized behavior

literature as moral lesson
 loyalty to king
 chivalry

use of kennings (especially in Beowulf)

A figurative, usually compound expression used in
place of a name or noun. Example, storm of swords is a
kenning for battle.

Romance


Knights/Chivalry
A narrative in prose or verse that tells of the
adventures and heroic exploits of chivalric heroes
 exploits of knights
 often a supernatural element involved

Christian message


concern with salvation and the world to come
no interest in social change
 until the late 14th century
 Chaucer signals new thinking, up-ending social order
Fact, Fiction, Literature, and Pop
Culture



Most scholars believe that a King named
Arthur did defeat the Saxons in the 5th or 6th
century. This is outlined in one of the oldest
accounts of English History Geoffrey of
Monmouth's fanciful and imaginative 12thcentury Historia Regum Britanniae
There are ruins of a castle in Cornwall that
many believe to belong to Arthur
Not much else is known, accounts of Arthur
seem to be mysteriously missing from all
Anglo-Saxon chronicles and other such history
books.

Another school of
thought believes that
Arthur had no historical
existence; the Arthur of
legend is a composite;
tales of the real Arthur's
exploits may have been
confused and merged
with that of other war
leaders of the time




The Welsh historian Nennius first mentioned
Arthur by name in the 9th-century Historia
Brittonum (History of the Britons)
A full account of his life appears in the Historia
Regum Britanniae (1136?; History of the Kings of
Britain) by Welsh writer Geoffrey of
Monmouth
The quest for the Holy Grail makes up an
important segment of the Arthurian cycle,
appearing first in works by Chrétien de Troyes
He wrote in Champagne, France, during the
last half of the twelfth century




The Vulgate Cycle, a series of tales written in
French from 1215 to 1235, devotes thousands of
pages to the Arthurian story
In English, one of the most important
Arthurian achievements is Le morte d'Arthur
(1469-1470; The Death of Arthur) by Sir Thomas
Malory
American writer Marion Zimmer Bradley, in
The Mists of Avalon (1982)
She explores the Arthurian world from the
point of view of the female characters, paying
attention to the relationships the women have
with one another

Monty Python and the Holy Grail, a comedic
parody of the traditional King Arthur legend.
Later adapted into a musical called Spamalot,
which won the Tony Award for Best Musical of
the 2004-2005 season


First Knight, with
Sean Connery
(Arthur), Richard
Gere (Lancelot), Julia
Ormond (Guinevere)
King Arthur, 2004,
claiming (despite
historical
inaccuracies) to be
more historically
accurate



Disney’s the Sword in
the Stone 1963
Camelot 2011
Merlin 2008





Arthur: legendary king of the Britons; expelled
foreigners from Britain, brought peace to the
country, established a kingdom based on justice
and morality
Held court at his castle at Camelot and instituted
an order known as the knights of the Round Table
Son of King Uther Pendragon and the lady Ygraine;
Merlin gives him to a man named Hector to be
raised with Hector's son, Kay
Marries lady Guinevere, but she and Lancelot, one
of Arthur's favored knights, eventually fall in love,
and their relationship divides Camelot
Grievously wounded by his illegitimate son
Mordred
33
Lancelot
 The greatest and most trusted of Arthur's knights,
and plays a part in many of Arthur's victories
 Arthur's eventual downfall is also brought about
in part by Lancelot, whose affair with Arthur's
wife Guinevere destroys the unity of Arthur's
court
 Once Arthur discovers Lancelot and Guinevere's
love affair, his own system of justice requires that
he condemn his wife to death
 Lancelot rescues her, but initiates a war between
his forces and those of Arthur and the knight
Gawain
34







Arthur and Guinevere are married
Lancelot is Arthur’s Loyal Knight
Lancelot and Guinevere are having affair
Gawain doesn’t like Lancelot
Arthur is Gawain’s Uncle
Mordred is Arthur’s son
Mordred hates Arthur