1. OE to ME: The Norman Conquest and its Linguistic Influence M. Kubus

2. What happens in 1066, historically, and what impact does it have on the English language?

3. The Rise of the English Vernacular William of Nassyngton’s Speculum Vitae

4. In englysch tonge I schal you telle Yif ye so longe with me wil dwelle Ne latyn wil I speke ne waste Bot englisch that men usen maste For that is youre kynde langage That ye have most here of usage That kan eche man understonde That is boren in engelonde For that langage is most schewed As wel among lered as lewed Latyn as I trowe can nane Bot thoo that have it at scole tane Somme kan frensch and no latyn That used have court and dwelled therin And somme kan of latyn a party That kan frensch ful febelly And somme understonden englysch That kan nouther latyn ne frensch Bot lered and lewed olde and yonge Alle understonden englysch tonge Detail from Speculum Vitae, WLC/LM/9, ff. 1v-2r

5. Arthurian Literature M. Kubus

6. The Figure of Arthur The Historical Arthur Some say he was an historical person Geoffrey of Monmouth: History of the Kings of Britain 1136 Could be Welsh 420-540 AD, but no written records Went to Brittany to fight the Germans or Romans and then fought civil war back in Wales Legends begin to grow (his court, the round table, etc) The Fictional Arthur French German English Latin American Cowboy Movies Amalgamation of Medieval Literature In France, he becomes the stuff of legend (Chretien de Troyes, Lancelot: The Knight of the Cart, Erec and Enide) Mallory, Morte D’Arthur Marie of France – writing in French, but IN England (French was predominant in England) Lanval ME – Gawain Poet and Chaucer Arthur in Popular Culture http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Xd_zkMEgkI

8. Tenets of Romance These stories belong to the genre of ROMANCE (stories written in the vernacular – a roman – NOT Latin) Matters of Rome (Troy, Aeneas), France (Charlemagne, Roland), Breton (Arthur and his Knights) Chivalric Aventura (quest, but also fate, fortune, chance) Geste (Great Deeds) Knight who wanders (errare: italian for error) Quest and Test Knight must wander around, making mistakes before he can find success Virtue is measured Chivalry Chevalier – one who rides a horse Knight is an English corruption Associated with Virtue, Horsemanship, and having a high birth Chaucer’s Virtues: Trothe, Honour, Fredom, Curteisie (reverence for rank and degree) ME DictionaryME Dictionary Courtly Love Arthurian stories are associated with women Lord and Knight or Knight and Thane (feminization of this relationship… NOT sexual) Knight owes the lady obedience and submission (literary convention) Romance = Geste, Quest, and Te st

9. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Anonymous Poet Alliterative Tradition Northern Dialect Difficult to Read in the Original ME Bob and Wheel Ye Olde English Cafe