Background information on the Middle Ages The Canterbury Tales Background information on the Middle Ages

Write the notes in bold-these are your notes-you can shorthand. Middle Ages Notes Chaucer Middle English The Canterbury Tales Feudal System Religion Black Plague Thomas Becket Crusades Chivalry Courtly Love Please add whatever information you may be missing on your scavenger hunt. Write the notes in bold-these are your notes-you can shorthand. These notes and your scavenger hunt will help you understand The Canterbury Tales, which will then be helpful for the test!

Geoffrey Chaucer Father of English poetry Born about 1343-1400 in London Educated, part of rising middle class Insight into human characteristics The Canterbury Tales is his most well known work Wanted to educate the masses on the corruption in the Church

French was used by the aristocracy Middle English Latin was the language of the clergy (members involved with the church) French was used by the aristocracy Commoners spoke English (Middle English) Vernacular- language of the people (This is how Chaucer wrote!) English in 10 Minutes

The Canterbury Tales Usually satirical Frame story- a story being told within a story 29 pilgrims, traveling from Southwark to Canterbury to the shrine of Thomas a Becket Unfinished Originally supposed to be 2 stories there and 2 stories back Story begins in the springtime at Tabard Inn just outside London. Each pilgrim will tell stories while on the trip. Host will judge stories

Chaucer’s England Social Structure Society was divided into 3 states: clergy, aristocracy (nobility), and the commoners Positions in the hierarchy were well defined Clergy-responsible for people’s spiritual well-being Aristocracy- responsible for defending the nation through military might. Commons- laborers and producers

Feudal System Caste system King owned all the land in the country Replaces the social structure of the Anglo Saxon Period King owned all the land in the country King granted land holdings to aristocratic tenants in exchange for military support Aristocrats would grant land holdings to commoners in exchange for labor services that would allow the lord to cultivate and maintain the land

Clergy (1.5%) No one was born into the clergy Aristocrats (1%) (upper levels) and commoners (97%) (lower levels) Regular clergy (monks and friars) were males and sworn to a life of celibacy and poverty Nuns didn’t have the same rights as the male clergy

Religion Catholic Church, the official church of the kingdom during the Middle Ages All Christians in that part of the world were under the authority of the Pope.

The Black Plague 1348 – Black Plague reached England and wiped out 1/3 of the population (3.75 million to 2.25 million) The sudden collapse of the population sent prices skyrocketing Resulted in the rise of the middle class because of the extreme loss. Labor became more valuable than land. Resulted in the rise of the Middle Class because the extreme loss of life made labor became more valuable then land

Thomas Becket Appointed archbishop of Canterbury by King Henry II King Henry II hoped that Thomas would side with him over the pope The King’s plan backfired and Thomas ended up taking the side of the Church/pope over the King

Thomas Becket Murdered in 1170 (Assassinated by followers of King Henry II in Canterbury Cathedral) Was canonized as both Saint and martyr following his murder The Shrine of Saint Thomas of Becket became a popular destination for religious pilgrimages during the Middle Ages

Crusades Occurred during the the 11th,12th, and 13th centuries A series of religious wars called by the Pope GOAL of the Crusades: to restore Christian control of the Holy Land Crusades had an enormous influence in Europe during the Middle Ages

Chivalry Chivalry- system of ideals and behavior that governed both knight and gentleman Included things such as: - oath of loyalty to overlord - rules of warfare -adoration of a particular lady (courtly love)

Courtly Love Courtly Love- Belief that acting in the name of a lady would help a knight be more brave and successful