APK  What qualities or ideals classify someone as a person of honor to you?

The Medieval Period  Feudalism- King owned all the land in the kingdom King owned all the land in the kingdom  William distributed the rest of England to loyal nobles who either paid him or supplied him with warriors (knights)

Hierarchy of the Middle Ages in England  Middle class emerges King King Normans (originally Viking raiders) Normans (originally Viking raiders) KnightsKnights Barons Barons At the bottom of the social ladder was the Anglo-Saxons who were defeated At the bottom of the social ladder was the Anglo-Saxons who were defeated

Influences  Strong French influences because Henry II married a former French queen.  Brought French ideals of courtliness and chivalry. Code of honor intended to govern knightly behavior Code of honor intended to govern knightly behavior Knights were to honor and protect ladies and to go on holy quests Knights were to honor and protect ladies and to go on holy quests

Gawain as a Poem  Narrative Setting Setting Characters Characters Plot Plot  Romance Imaginative adventure Imaginative adventure Noble heroes Noble heroes Gallant love Gallant love Chivalric code of honor Chivalric code of honor Daring deeds Daring deeds

Order of Chivalry/Code of Honor  No emotional violence or murder  Never defy your king  Don’t be cruel & have mercy  Always display the best manners  Never battle for any reason other than king or God  Defend the rights of the weak  Injure no one  Seek nothing before honor  Never break faith  Grant hospitality to anyone

Romances usually have…  Faraway settings  Depict events unlike those of ordinary life  Idealize their heroes  Idealize the eras in which the heroes lived  Lighthearted in tone  Involve fantasy