1. Middle English Period
1.1. 1066 - 1500
1.1.1. William the conqueror from Normandy came to England, and made French the official language
1.1.1.1. French was spoken by the rich
1.1.1.2. English Dialects were spoken by farmers and workmen
1.1.2. Poetry/Stories
1.1.2.1. Old English contained lots of alliteration, Middle English contains Rhyme
1.1.2.2. Geoffrey Chaucer (1340 - 1400) wrote!?
1.1.2.2.1. The Canterbury Tales
2. Rise of drama
2.1. At first
2.1.1. Travelling performers (ministrels)
2.2. Development of Drama in the middle ages:
2.3. Drama development
2.3.1. 10th century
2.3.1.1. Holy masses were acted in the Church (10th century)
2.3.2. 12th and 13th century
2.3.2.1. Latin was replaced by English (12th and 13th century)
2.3.3. 1210 onwards
2.3.3.1. Drama moved to the churchyard. Reason: too secular society (from 1210 onwards)
2.3.4. 13th century
2.3.4.1. Drama was removed from church grounds
2.3.5. Later
2.3.5.1. Drama went to the marketplace
2.3.5.1.1. mystery plays (bible story) and miracle plays (life of a saint).
2.3.6. 16th century
2.3.6.1. history / chronicle plays --> about history
2.3.7. 15th century
2.3.7.1. morality plays (good/bad --> moral lessons
3. 700 - 1066
3.1. Romans occupied Brittain
3.1.1. Withdrew around 410
3.2. Anglos, Saxons and the Jutes invaded Brittain
3.2.1. The Anglo-Saxon period
3.2.1.1. Germanic language
3.3. Vikings invaded Brittain around 8th century
3.3.1. influenced the anglo-saxon culutre
4. Beowulf
4.1. Setting
4.1.1. Denmark/Sweden
4.2. 3182 lines of verse
4.3. No author
4.3.1. Probably a monk (two monks because the handwriting varies in the middle of the story)
4.4. Germanic values
4.4.1. strenght, courage, loyalty
4.5. Beowulf defeats Grendel with his bare hands, and the King throws in a party in his honour.
4.5.1. When Grendel's mother hears about the death of her son, she is filled with rage and looks for revenge.
4.5.1.1. She murders "aeschere" a friend of Beowulf.
4.6. Plot
4.6.1. King Hirothgar of Denmark build a meat hall to celebrate his wealth
4.6.1.1. However his kingdom is terrorised by a demon (Grendel)
4.6.1.1.1. Beowulf hears about this story and decides to accend to the great lands of Denmark
4.6.2. Beowulf kills the mother with a "sword forged from a giant" and brings her head as a trophy
4.6.2.1. Beowulf is crowned king and he rules for 50 years
4.6.2.1.1. When beowulf grows old and knows his death is near. He sacrifices his live to defeat a dragon.
4.7. Characterisitcs
4.7.1. alliteration
4.7.2. Kennings
4.7.2.1. ancestral heritage
4.7.2.1.1. In the book everyone is introduced as the son of their father.
4.7.2.2. A compound word full of descriptive imagery
4.8. Germanic Values
4.8.1. Principal components
4.8.1.1. individual reputation
4.8.2. Tension
4.8.2.1. The poem also illustrates the faillures in Germanic values
4.8.2.1.1. Some stories show for example 'Divided loyalties'.
4.8.3. Good warior and Good king
4.8.3.1. You can see a clear difference between the different values that come with different roles.
4.8.3.1.1. Beowulf: as a young warrior he has nothing to loose and strifes for personal glory.
4.8.3.1.2. Hroghtgar: As a king he seeks protection for his people which a good king should do
4.8.3.1.3. Beowulf as a king also strives for those same values of protection which you can see out of the fact that he sacrifises himself in order to safe is people.