Middle english period
● literary work
Country love tradition: gave women a prominent place in the works of the middle
English period. The knight combined courage and strength with gentle manners and
reverence for women in general (his one lady in particular).
Balland and romance were the most popular genres
- Balland: simple narrative poems (sung)
- romances: tales of love and adventure
Most important poet: Geoffrey Chaucer,
- Most important work: The Canterbury Tales
It is link in frame story (story in a story)
The links in this story are the different stories the pilgrims tell each other.
The Canterbury Tales tells the story of a group of pilgrims traveLondon to Canterbury to visit
the holy shrine of St. Thomas Becket. Each of the pilgrims takes a turn as a storyteller, with
a free dinner promised to the person who tells the best tale.
Difference between old and middle english period
1. in old English women were almost totally absent. In the middle English period women
had a prominent place in the works of the period.
, Renaissance
Renaissance means rebirth refers to
- the renewed interest in ancient Greek and roman cultures at that time
- to a number of fundamental changes in the way man looked upon himself and his
place in the world around him
Difference between middle ages and renaissance:
1. collective to individual attitude
- middle ages were seen they belonged to a family, guild etc.
- Renaissance individual being (thoughts, feelings and actions had a value
and importance of their own)
(that's why medieval art was anonymous and in renaissance proudly attached
his name to it)
2. From a god-centered to an man-centered outlook
- middle ages church was very important, life on earth was nothing but a preparation
for death and the judgment to come
- renaissance the idea of death no longer prevented man from exploring and living life
to the max
motto renaissance: seize the day
motto middle ages: remember you will die
3. dogmatic belief to critical investigation
- the middle ages church held great truths, people didn’t question them.
- Renaissance people were more critical, didn’t accept the explanations the church
offered. Base views on own research
● Literary work
Most important: William Shakespeare English drama reaches its greatest heights.
His work was meant to be seen and heard, not read.
Shakespeare main categories:
- Histories: English kings and dealing with historical subjects (Henry the fifth or
richard the third)
- Comedies: in a more light-headed, funny way (a midsummer night’s dream)
- Tragedies: Shakespeare's greatest achievement, deals with human nature,
human weakness and the tragedy caused by it. (romeo and juliet, hamlet and
macbeth)
Hamlet
to be or not to be
The ghost of the King of Denmark tells his son Hamlet to avenge his murder by killing the
new king, Hamlet's uncle. Hamlet feigns madness, contemplates life and death, and seeks
revenge. His uncle, fearing for his life, also devises plots to kill Hamlet. The play ends with a
duel, during which the King, Queen, Hamlet's opponent and Hamlet himself are all killed.
● literary work
Country love tradition: gave women a prominent place in the works of the middle
English period. The knight combined courage and strength with gentle manners and
reverence for women in general (his one lady in particular).
Balland and romance were the most popular genres
- Balland: simple narrative poems (sung)
- romances: tales of love and adventure
Most important poet: Geoffrey Chaucer,
- Most important work: The Canterbury Tales
It is link in frame story (story in a story)
The links in this story are the different stories the pilgrims tell each other.
The Canterbury Tales tells the story of a group of pilgrims traveLondon to Canterbury to visit
the holy shrine of St. Thomas Becket. Each of the pilgrims takes a turn as a storyteller, with
a free dinner promised to the person who tells the best tale.
Difference between old and middle english period
1. in old English women were almost totally absent. In the middle English period women
had a prominent place in the works of the period.
, Renaissance
Renaissance means rebirth refers to
- the renewed interest in ancient Greek and roman cultures at that time
- to a number of fundamental changes in the way man looked upon himself and his
place in the world around him
Difference between middle ages and renaissance:
1. collective to individual attitude
- middle ages were seen they belonged to a family, guild etc.
- Renaissance individual being (thoughts, feelings and actions had a value
and importance of their own)
(that's why medieval art was anonymous and in renaissance proudly attached
his name to it)
2. From a god-centered to an man-centered outlook
- middle ages church was very important, life on earth was nothing but a preparation
for death and the judgment to come
- renaissance the idea of death no longer prevented man from exploring and living life
to the max
motto renaissance: seize the day
motto middle ages: remember you will die
3. dogmatic belief to critical investigation
- the middle ages church held great truths, people didn’t question them.
- Renaissance people were more critical, didn’t accept the explanations the church
offered. Base views on own research
● Literary work
Most important: William Shakespeare English drama reaches its greatest heights.
His work was meant to be seen and heard, not read.
Shakespeare main categories:
- Histories: English kings and dealing with historical subjects (Henry the fifth or
richard the third)
- Comedies: in a more light-headed, funny way (a midsummer night’s dream)
- Tragedies: Shakespeare's greatest achievement, deals with human nature,
human weakness and the tragedy caused by it. (romeo and juliet, hamlet and
macbeth)
Hamlet
to be or not to be
The ghost of the King of Denmark tells his son Hamlet to avenge his murder by killing the
new king, Hamlet's uncle. Hamlet feigns madness, contemplates life and death, and seeks
revenge. His uncle, fearing for his life, also devises plots to kill Hamlet. The play ends with a
duel, during which the King, Queen, Hamlet's opponent and Hamlet himself are all killed.
