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Medieval vernacular literature evolved from the folktale, probably with the storyteller acting out different parts, before an audience. The Norman Conquest of 1066 CE established French as the language of literature and transformed the English language from Old English (in use c. 500-1100 CE) to Middle English (c.
Medieval literature is a broad subject, encompassing essentially all written works available in Europe and beyond during the Middle Ages (that is, the one thousand years from the fall of the Western Roman Empire ca. AD 500 to the beginning of the Renaissance in the 14th, 15th or 16th century, depending on country).
Cultural Influences Medieval literature is best understood in the context of three powerful influences on medieval society: feudalism, the church, and a code of conduct called chivalry.
Three main languages were in use in England in the later medieval period – Middle English, Anglo-Norman (or French) and Latin.
OLD ENGLISH LITERATURE. The Old English language or Anglo-Saxon is the earliest form of English. The period is a long one and it is generally considered that Old English was spoken from about A.D. 600 to about 1100. Many of the poems of the period are pagan, in particular Widsith and Beowulf.
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and transitioned into the Renaissance and the Age of Discovery.
10 Classic Works of Medieval Literature Everyone Should Read
It’s clear that a large portion of European medieval literature was influenced by the Catholic Church; however, there were certainly plenty of secular works as well. These works were more dominant in the latter part of the era and were more likely to be written in local languages.
the Middle Ages
Medieval art—which includes a wide variety of art and architecture—refers to a period also known as the Middle Ages, which roughly spanned from the fall of the Roman Empire in 476 A.D. to the early stages of the Renaissance in the 14th century.
In secular medieval literature, the figure of King Arthur, an ancient British hero, attracted the attention and imagination of these early writers. Arthur first appeared in literature in the Latin “History of the British Kings” around 1147. Included in this period is the epic “Beowulf,” which dates back to approximately the eighth century.
Franks, Ostrogoths, Lombards, and Goths settled in the ruins of Europe, and the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes migrated to Britain displacing native Celts into Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. Early Old English poems such as Beowulf, The Wanderer, and The Seafarer originated sometime late in the Anglo-Saxon period.
The Elizabethan Age of English Literature coincides with the reign of Elizabeth I, 1558 – 1603. During this time, medieval tradition was blended with Renaissance optimism. Lyric poetry, prose, and drama were the major styles of literature that flowered during the Elizabethan Age.
English Literature: Literary Periods & Genres I. The Classical Period (1200 BCE – 455 CE) III. The Renaissance and Reformation (1485-1660 CE) V. The Romantic Period (1790-1830 CE) VII. The Modern Period (1914-1945 CE) II. The Medieval Period (455 CE-1485 CE) IV. The Enlightenment (Neoclassical) Period (1660-1790 CE) VI.