Textuality » 3A Interacting
GEOFFREY CHAUCER
The man who best describe the pattern 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 translated 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. The theme of fine loving related to the relaxed atmosphere of Medieval courts and the rituals of chivalry are explored in The Legend of Good Women and Troilus and Criseyde.
His Prologue to The 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 sung at firesides and at courts.
ROMANCES
Romances has as their themes The Arthurian Legend set in England, The Charle Magne Legend borrowed from France and The Legend of Troy filtered through Italy.
In the 15th century (1400) 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 ballads were refrains, stock epithets, formulaic patterns, narrative content and theme.
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 another significant expression of Medieval culture. The English tradition of drama dates back to the late 13th and early 14th century.
A dramatic element is present in the rituals of any community life (births, marriages, funerals, initiation cerimonies) especially in primitive literatures.
This was truth also of the early form of drama with which Celts, Angles, 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 these performances.
MIRACLE AND MISTERY PLAYS
They were the earliest dramatic performances in Great Britain were based ecentially on sacred history or on the legend of the santes.
The great cycles of the Gospel were treted (the Nativity, the Passion and the Resurrection).
They were performed during religious festivals (Corpus Christi Day, Christmas, Whitsuntide and Easter).