MB UNIUD

The man who best described the patter of life and the cultural atmosphere of the Middle Ages in England was Geoffrey Chaucer. He is considered the father of English literature.

His masterpiece is The Canterbury Tales, but before he had produced other works. He had translate the French poem Roman de la Rose which is the quintessence of courtly romantic love. Most of his works were influenced by French and Italian contemporary literature. He theme of fine loving related to the relaxed atmosphere of medieval courts and the ritual of chivalry are explored in The Legend of good women and Troilus and Criseyde.

His Prologue to Canterbury Tales is considered immortal. He describes with irony the different characters of medieval society.

During the Middle Ages romances and ballads were told and sang at fire sides and at courts.

ROMANCES

Romances had as their main themes  the Arthurian legend set in England, The Carle Magne  legend borrowed from France, and The legend of Troy filter thru Italy.

In the 15^th century the first books were printed in England by Caxton. The first translated work was the story of king Arthur and the knights of the Round Table. The version was by Sir Thomas Malory. It was based on a French original and its title was La Morte d'Arthur.

BALLADS

The production of ballads characterized Medieval England. They came mainly from the oral tradition and were generally accompanied by music and dance. The main ingredients of ballades were refrains, stock epithets, formulaic patterns, narrative content and themes. The themes of ballads were: tragic love stories, the supernatural, the battles on the borders between Scotland and England. They were mostly composed in four-lined-stanzas and were later collected by Bishop Thomas Percy in Reliques of Ancient English Poetry and by Walter Scott in Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border.

ENGLISH FORMS OF DRAMA

Drama was an another significant expression of Medieval culture. The English tradition of Drama dates back to the late 13^th and early 14^th centuries. A dramatic element is presented in the  rituals of any community  life (births, marriages, funerals, initiation ceremonies) especially in primitive literature. This was true also of the early forms to  drama with which Celts, Anglos, Saxons, Danes and Normans were used to be entertained. It is obvious that these were forms of popular performances but with the advent of Christianity new dimensions were added to this performances.

MIRACLE AND MISTERY PLAYS

They were the earliest dramatic performances in Great Britain and were based essentially on Sacred history or on the legends of the Saints. The great cycle of the  Gospel were treated (the Nativity, the Passion and the Resurrection). These representations were performed during religious festivals ( Corpus Christy Day, Christmas, Whitsuntide and Easter).