beowulf i. discuss the research topic of last week “what is epic?” epic is a long narrative poem...

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Beowulf I. Discuss the research topic of las “What is epic?” Epic is a long narrative poem about a noble character’s heroic actions(heroism).

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Beowulf I. Discuss the research topic of last week

“What is epic?”

Epic is a long narrative poem about a noble character’s heroic actions(heroism).

Chapter 2Chapter 2 The Norman Period The Norman Period

William the

conquer

Harold dead

Ⅰ.Characteristics:

1) the characters are of noble birth. Should the story of a common person be mentioned in the epic, his name never is told.

2) The scene/the setting involves a large scale and is magnificent\sweeping.

3) Their heroic actions are very significant determining the fate of the whole people, the whole nation or the course of the history.

4) The divine, semi divine, or supernatural forces are involved.

5) The style is elevated with some set phrase, or formula speaking of the high communal benefits.

II. Historical background of the Norman Period II. Historical background of the Norman Period LiteratureLiterature

a. Norman societya. Norman society

b. its languages b. its languages

c. the literature of the period c. the literature of the period

Next

Norman societyNorman society

After the battle of Hastings inAfter the battle of Hastings in

which the last Saxon King which the last Saxon King Harold was defeated by Duke Harold was defeated by Duke William of Normandy, William of Normandy, England was conquered by a England was conquered by a Germanic people. The Germanic people. The Norman conquest in 1066Norman conquest in 1066

accelerated the development accelerated the development of feudalism in England.of feudalism in England.

Harold dead

The social hierarchy:The social hierarchy:

most of the people most of the people were serfs, were serfs, permanent servants permanent servants of Norman lordsof Norman lords

King

barons knights

serfs

The church:The church: owned vast tracts of land, had its own owned vast tracts of land, had its own

separate legal system, its own taxes separate legal system, its own taxes and communicated with ecclesiastical and communicated with ecclesiastical leaders in Rome without consulting the king leaders in Rome without consulting the king or ministers. It supervised the education of or ministers. It supervised the education of most of the people who were educated, and most of the people who were educated, and continually competed in political matters continually competed in political matters with civil authority.with civil authority.

Thus the medieval society was made up of Thus the medieval society was made up of

three blocks: the nobility, composed of a three blocks: the nobility, composed of a small hereditary aristocracy, whose mission small hereditary aristocracy, whose mission on earth was to rule over and defend the on earth was to rule over and defend the political body; the church, whose mission political body; the church, whose mission was to look after the spiritual welfare of the was to look after the spiritual welfare of the body and everyone else, the large mass of body and everyone else, the large mass of commoners whose work was to provide its commoners whose work was to provide its physical needs.physical needs.

languages

French Latin Old English

the literature of the period:

1.Religious literature: a. Types or genres: books and lyrics; b. subject matters2.Secular literature: romance and the influence of French

literature

The The themesthemes of the medieval romances: of the medieval romances:

i. Romances comprise a large fraction of the secular i. Romances comprise a large fraction of the secular Middle English literature that has been preserved. Middle English literature that has been preserved. Many of these are simplified adaptations of Many of these are simplified adaptations of French poems, recounting in an amusing style the French poems, recounting in an amusing style the adventures of knights whose ideal qualities are adventures of knights whose ideal qualities are courage, honor, courteous behavior, justice and courage, honor, courteous behavior, justice and readiness to help the weak, especially ladies of readiness to help the weak, especially ladies of noble birth in distress. Thus knights whose high noble birth in distress. Thus knights whose high oaths bind them to fidelity to God and king, truth oaths bind them to fidelity to God and king, truth to their ladyloves, etc are commonplaces of to their ladyloves, etc are commonplaces of romantic literature. romantic literature.

ii.The characteristic spirit of many ii.The characteristic spirit of many romances, aristocratic and popular romances, aristocratic and popular alike, involves the proving of a alike, involves the proving of a knight’s worthiness through noble knight’s worthiness through noble character and deeds rather than character and deeds rather than through high birth, and in this through high birth, and in this respect romances reflect the respect romances reflect the aspirations of a lower order of the aspirations of a lower order of the nobility to rise in the world.nobility to rise in the world.

Ⅰ.Discuss the story of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and implication of the story.

Discussion:

Points that should be paid attention to in the Points that should be paid attention to in the discussion:discussion:

a. The literal story.b. What does such a story

reveal figuratively?c. How do you look at the

presentation of the hero Gawain in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight? Does he represent the chivalry codes of the time?

ⅡⅡ.Discuss what the students have .Discuss what the students have prepared in the after class time after prepared in the after class time after the first hour’s lecture about this the first hour’s lecture about this chapter. chapter.

Why was romance the type ofWhy was romance the type of literature that was popular in the literature that was popular in the

middle ages(Why did romance took middle ages(Why did romance took the place of epic and became the the place of epic and became the popular genre in the middle ages )?popular genre in the middle ages )?

It reflects the time spirits of the early feudal age.…

the spirit of chivalry