Medieval Literature

History and Importance

Illuminated

Manuscripts

There was no printing press, so all books had to be written by hand. Each individual page was a work of art, handwritten, painted, and decorated by Catholic Monks.

Language

Predominately Latin was the language of use in written manuscripts. Therefore, only nobility and members of the Catholic Church were able to read and write.

Bible

The Bible was written in Latin, so most of the population relied on the clergy correctly relaying it to them.

Language

With the Norman Conquest, the Old English language gained a French influence and became the Modern English that we know today.

Geoffrey Chaucer:

“The Father of English”

One of the first English authors that we know by name.

Geoffrey Chaucer:

“The Father of English”

Wrote his famous works in Early Modern English.

Canterbury Tales

Chaucer’s most famous work. This is about a group of pilgrims traveling to Canterbury Cathedral on pilgrimage and entertaining each other with stories.

Canterbury Tales

It is written in the language of that time, Early Modern English.

Canterbury Tales

It is incredibly important to historians because it is one of our only written sources of daily life for the ordinary people during the middle ages.

King Arthu

r

Tales of Courtly Love, King Arthur, his Knights of the Round Table. The Round Table represents democracy and equality.

King Arthu

r

Arthur is “The Once and Future King” who is supposed to return one day to save Britain. In other words, past glory and future glory.