Morality play-allegorical story from the 15th/16th century In which virtues and

vices are personified to teach the humanity how to each salvation (protagonists
often had names like Messenger, God etc.)It contained biblical themes from Old
Testament such as the Great Flood, the fall of Adam and Eve etc./ Miracle playbased on the lie of saints, similar to mystery play, religious drama, based on the
life of saints/Mystery play- between the 11th & 14th ct based on events in the Bible
and Christs redemption/Fabliau-short satiric story about middle class/Heroic
Couplet-a couplet written in rhymed iambic pentameter/Amor vincit omnia-Latin
expression for translation Love conquers all. The favorite saying from the novel
Canterbury Tales/St. Augustine-Christian saint sent from Rome in 597. to
England with 40 monks to teach Christianity to the Anglo-Saxons. Built a church in
his capital city, Canterbury, became the first Archbishop of Canterbury./Unferthmale character from Beowulf, son of Ecglaf and Hrothgars thane who teased
Beowulf about the swimming contest/The siege of Rhodes-first English opera,
produced in 1656./Sir Robert Walpole-first British prime minister/Tottels
Miscelany-one of the most influential anthologies of poetry published by sir
Thomas Wyatt in 1557./Arcadia-prose romance written by Sir Phillip
Sydney/Bede-a poet from Old England who wrote the earliest poems-Caedmons
hymn, which is about an illiterate man who had a vision and became a
poet/Margery Kempe-a woman from the 14 th century who wrote an autobiography
about her having visions/Petrarch-Italian poet from the Renaissance who
established the conventions for the sonnet,14-line sonnet which deals with
love/Una- female character from Spensers The Faerie Queene,a symbol of
protestant church in England/Sonnet-poem with 14 lines, each containing 10
syllables and a fixed patterns of rhyme/Sonnet Sequence-a collection, cycle of
sonnets that tell a story, such as Astrophil and Stella/Squire-male character
from Chaucers Canterbury Tales. The son of the Knight and represents a new
generation, that differs from his fathers/Mock Epic-one that mocks human
behavior, but not of the epic genre/kenning-complex metaphors, new words
invented to make alliteration possible/Orlando Furioso-a romantic epic, by
written by Ariosto, which Edmund Spencer used as a source for his Faerie
Queene/Blank Verse-poetry with regular rhythm usu with 10 syllables and 5
stresses in the each line, but without rhyme/Bede-(also Venerable Bede)(c. 673
735)an English monk and historian. At his monastery in Jarrow in north-east
England, wrote many books, the most important of which, Ecclesiastical History of
the English People, written in Latin, first serious work of English history/Coutrly
love-love of a knight towards a maiden,(often married),important to treat the
ladies in an aristocratic manner/Magna Carta-1st document officially stating
political&legal rights of the Eng. that King John was forced to sign(often referred
to as the basis for modern English law)
Beowulf-the hall Heorot is attacked by Grendel. B. comes to Heorot and there
meets Hrothgar, the friend of Bs father (Ecgtheow). B. promises to go against the
monster with his bare hands. At night Grendel comes to hall, kills one sleeping
guy. Beowulf grabs and tears off his arm (mortal wound for Grendel). Celebration
in the morning. Hrothgar gives gifts (commitatus code-proof that he was a good
king).after the party, everybody fells asleep, Grendels mother attacks, comes to
avenge his son, and goes following narrow paths (inner quest), in her cave, B.
founds, and beheads her with it. He came to Heorot carrying Grendels head,
further celebration at Heorot, gifts Old English epic, commtatus code,
kennings, alliteration, no rhyme, no stanzas, monotonous tone, written in nonchristian and non English environment, written down later, elements from the Old
Testament (Grendels Cains descendant, God is the creator of all things),elements
of the quest. There are many biblical elements in the poem but there are also
pagan elements (contradictions), Christian elements mustve been added later
during its transmission. When Hrothgars best friend is killed B. wants revenge (a
tooth or a tooth culture).non-christian element: if one has the courage, hecan
change everything. No hope for the afterlife, only their courage helps them
achieve immortality, through fame. B is a historical person, although there is no
definite evidence. Most trivial things are described. Heroic quest typical for
heroic poetry, but there is also an internal quest. Challenge a disaster, the
culture is threatened by a higher force. Calling the hero is called to solve the
problem. Grendel a challenge to the society, cant stand the songs sang by the
people in the hall, human happiness makes him mad. Equal in strength with B. (B.
has the strength of 30 men, G. kills 30 men)
Sir Gawain and The Green Knight the bob and the wheel rhyme introduced
with alliteration. Between Beowulf & Sir Gawain, theres a 2ct. gap. Not a typical
French romance. He is a typical hero (domestic romance), author is anonymous.
Many elements of old heroic poetry (boasting, feasting), usage of the alliteration
but here we have the first introduction of the rhyme. Alliteration is spread over
several lines. Written in northwestern dialect. Court of king Arthur gets invaded by
G.K.-arrogant, monstrous but nevertheless reasonable. Challenges them to fight
him, because of their fame. The court is to receive testing, no one replies, and
Arthur is obliged to fight him, but them sir Gawain accepts the challenge to
release the king (sth like commitatus code). Gawain beheads the knight, but he
just picks his head and walks away. Now Gawain is to challenge G.K. after a year
of searching and fighting beasts and dragons (physical quest), he finds him. After
meeting Peter (symbol of New Testament), he finds G.K. and fights him. He only
gets a small cut on the cheek(a symbol of Christs blood spilled for people).he
didnt kill him because he accepted the belt, a symbol of New Testament
14th-15th ct-plays performed in church, as part
of the liturgy(Latin).popular: Mystery, Morality
& Miracle plays, many written in cycles, on
the streets on holydays. Plays were staged
simultaneously. One of the usu. guild of
character was carpenter (Millers Tale). Plays
were performed until 16th ct, then many
humorous scenes were added, and eventually
religious drama disappears because there was
too much humor inserted.

597.-St. Augustine came from Rome to England

731.-Ecclesiastical History of the English People by
Bede
787.-first raid on England by Danes and Norwegians
9th ct. King Alfred unites the country
892.-The Anglo-Saxon chronicle (in old English)
1066.-the Normans conquered England
1095.-1221.-The Crusades(Holy War)
1189.-1109.-Richard I
1170.-Sir Thomas Beckett murdered in Canterbury
1215.-Magna Carta
1360s- Middle English appears
1346.-1356.- England in war with France
1348.-the plague
1381.-new taxes imposed
1136-1138.-The History of the Kings of Britain by
Geoffrey of Monmouth
1475.-William Caxton introduced printing to England
1485.-Henry VII became king. The first Tudor
1509.-Henry VIIIimportant for development of
humanism
1534.-Henry VIII became the supreme head of the state
& of the church
1557.-Tottels Miscellany
1558.-1603.-Queen Elisabeth
1558.-the war with Spain, English victory over Spanish
armada
1576.-the Theater was built
1605.-the attempt to blow the parliament failed
1625.-Cahrles I the conflict between the Parliament and
the Crown reached the climax
1642.-the beginning of the civil war;(Commonwealth)
16491660.-The Commonwealth in England
1660.- The Restoration (of the monarchy)
1666.-the great fire of London, war with Holland
1656.-the 1st opera produced and performed, The Siege
of Rhodes
1685.-James II came to the throne
1707.- the Union of States
Samuel pepys known for his diaries, senior government
officer in the service of 2 kings, Charles II and James II.
He recorded some major events like The great fire of
London, but has included many private details. He knew
many of the most important figures of his day, including
Sir Christopher Wren and Sir Isaac Newton
Millers Tale John, the naive carpenter, lived in Oxford,
marries young Alison who cheats on him with Nicholas,
young, clever helper. Absolon also hits on Alison, butt
ends disgraced by kissing her butt. N & A told John to
build 3 boats on the roof because N told him that God
said that there will be another flood. That was a story so
that A&N could meet in secret. In the end John gets
laughed at as if he was mad. N got punished for taking
other mans life when he tried to get rid of A, he
accidentally killed him. John woke up then thinking that
flood started, got into a boat, and eventually broke his
arm. He got punished for being too naive. Then A got
punished for believing in courtly love. The cause of all
woman, was left unpunished. Laughing at human
stupidity.
Canterbury Tales-by Geoffrey Chaucer. Resembles
Decameron in many ways. A collection of tales told by
group of young people, without order. Begun in 1387. It
consists of the stories told by a varied group of pilgrims,
people traveling from London to Canterbury to show
respect for St Thomas Becket. It is one of the first great
poems in English, and some of the stories are well known
for referring to sex in humorous ways. 2 levels of
fiction, few different genres of tales (fabliaus, sermons,
romances). Language no silent e. the prologue is
written in iambic pentameter.
Edmund Spenser The Faerie Queene - a long poem
(15906). Written in praise of Queen Elizabeth I and its
imaginary characters and events represent moral values.
It is Spensers best-known poem. The style of writing had
a strong influence on the development of English poetry,
and the pattern of rhymes in each verse was used by
many later poets.

16th ct- The Renaissance-plays still performed.

The development of humanism (Henry VIII)
Anglicanism appears (separation from Rome).
Eng. open to different influences (Italy).
Changes in architecture (more light, larger
windows). Promotion of class. Literature and
arts. Petrarc, Erasmus of Rotterdam & Thomas
More (Utopia). Greek elements mixed with
Christianity. General sense of social and
political duty. General optimism and feeling of
safety

17th ct-after death of Queen Elisabeth. James

I started the Stuart monarchy. Unrests,
Cambridge vs. Oxford (liberal, progressive vs.
royal conservative) 1642. civil war, puritans
took over, closed theatres. Strict censorship.
Period of great discoveries, development of
science & medicine. Domination of short
literary forms, short lyrics. Meditations-short
works of religious prose. Sermon-discourse on
a biblical text-in both religions. Masque-short
play written for & performed by the
aristocratic audience.