1. Literary Perspective
‘Middle Ages’
Prepared and Presented by:
JANUARY B. MERILLES
MAEngEd Student – BU Graduate School
for MALit 222: Highlights of Oriental and Continental Drama
PROF. LUISITO P. SAGARBARRIA
Subject Professor
04/16/2016
2. Lesson Objectives:
After actively participating in a 60-120 min. discussion, my
fellow MA Learners will exhibit the following behaviors:
a. Identify various literary perspectives and themes during the
middle ages;
b. Determine the significant events during the middle ages in
different areas that contributed in the creation of various
literary works;
c. Appropriately assess the relevance of various medieval
concepts and literary perspectives to modern literature
specifically in terms of theater/drama;
d. Application of knowledge, skills and values learned from this
topic to real life experiences and actual teaching situations.
3. Literary Perspective
Perspective pǝr-’spǝk-tiv n.
~ a view of things in their true
relationship or relative importance
~scene as viewed through the
eyes/mind of the chosen character
31. Bound by law and custom…
It is the custom in England, as with other
countries, for the nobility to have great power
over the common people, who are serfs. This
means that they are bound by law and custom
to plough the field of their masters, harvest
the corn, gather it into barns, and thresh and
winnow the grain; they must also mow and
carry home the hay, cut and collect wood, and
perform all manner of tasks of this kind.
-- Jean Froissart, 1395
39. THE CRUSADES
Causes
• 1. Pope wanted
to increase his
power
• 2. Many serfs
wanted to gain
freedom
• 3. Some thought
it would clear
themselves from
sin.
GOAL
• CHRISTIANS
WANTED TO
REGAIN THE
HOLY LAND
FROM THE
MUSLIMS
RESULTS
• 1. Legacy of hatred
between Christians
and Jews.
• 2. Increased trade
between the East
and Western Europe
• 3. Decreased power
of the church
• 4. Italy became the
center of trade
62. Changes in the Middle Ages
France: Created
legislative branch—the
Estates General. Fought
100 Year War with
England.
England:
Moves towards a limited
monarchy—Signing of the
Magna Carta and creation
of Parliament
English Common Law—
decisions by royal courts
became law
SPAIN
1479 united under
Ferdinand and Isabella
Spanish Inquisition—
forced conversion of Jews
and Muslims along with
torture.
GERMANY
Known as the Holy Roman
Empire
Hapsburgs became most
powerful family in Europe
82. Cædmon
Earliest-Known English Poet
Nu scylun hergan hefaenricaes
uard
metudæs maecti end his
modgidanc
uerc uuldurfadur sue he uundra
gihuaes
eci dryctin or astelidæ
he aerist scop aelda barnum
heben til hrofe haleg scepen.
tha middungeard moncynnæs uard
eci dryctin æfter tiadæ
firum foldu frea allmectigprimo
cantauit Cædmon istud carmen.
83. Cædmon
Earliest-Known English Poet
Now let me praise the keeper of
Heaven's kingdom,
The might of the Creator, and his
thought,
The work of the Father of glory, how
each of wonders
The Eternal Lord established in the
beginning.
He first created for the sons of men
Heaven as a roof, the holy Creator,
Then Middle-earth the keeper of
mankind,
The Eternal Lord, afterwards made,
The earth for men, the Almighty
Lord.
88. The Medieval Drama
General features
Themes
Structure
Language
Audience
Authors and works
89. General features
Medieval drama flourished in the 15th century; it developed
out of liturgical ceremonies: the origin of medieval plays
can be found in the Church and in its rituals
At first the church had control of drama even outside of the
church- they would give the approval
But secular groups like trade guilds took over. They were
called, “Confraternities”.
It was common that certain guild would retain control over
certain play/stories, all of which were based on the Bible or
religious teachings.
91. Structure
The Miracles grew in
popularity, so the plays left the
Church to be performed first in
the Church yard, then in other
open spaces of the town
92. Common people didn’t understand
Latin, nor read it. So, to ignite an
interest in a faith losing to paganism
the church began incorporating it’s
liturgy into plays.
Language
93. Audience
The cycles of
Mistery plays
appealed to all social
classes, from royalty
to peasants: they all
came in to watch the
plays. Cycles
instilled a love of
drama in the people
98. Author and Works
Most authors of Medieval plays were
anonymous. Some important ones are:
Hrosvitha- A Benedictine Nun
John Bale- English Churchman
Adam de la Halle – A French composer
102. Quem Quaeritis Quem quaeritis in
sepulchro, o
Christicolae?
Jesum Nazarenum
crucifixum, o caelicolae.
Non est hic; surrexit, sicut
praedixerat. Ite,
nuntiate quia surrexit
de sepulchro
Translation:
The Angels: Whom do ye
seek in the sepulcher, O
followers of Christ?
The Marys: Jesus of Nazareth,
the Crucified, O heavenly
ones.
The Angels: He is not here;
he is risen, just as he
foretold. Go, announce that
he is risen from the
sepulcher.
—John Glassner, editor,
Medieval and Tudor Drama.
108. Impact of Medieval Drama
Main Impact: Because the actors got much
closer to their audience, acting became more
important than dialogue.
Also…Mixed comedy and seriousness, which
transitioned into Italian and Elizabethan
drama.
109. Medieval rebirth of the theatre
gives us a lesson:
“Whenever a society is
sufficiently developed to allow its
members freedoms of time and
expression, the celebration of
theatre will be an important way to
explore and expand those
freedoms.”
110. Oscar Wilde said it best:
“I regard the theatre as
the greatest of all art
forms, the most immediate
way in which a human being
can share with another the
sense of what it is to be a
human being”.
111. Literary Perspectives
The Psychological Perspective
The Social Power Perspective
The Formalist Perspective
The Historical Perspective
The Biographical Perspective
Reader-Response Perspective
The Archetypal Perspective
The Gender Perspective
Deconstruction
112. Point of View in Literature -
Perspectives
Single Major Character Viewpoint
Minor Character Viewpoint
Omniscient Viewpoint
Multiple Viewpoints
114. References
Askelan, Erin. The History of Medieval Theater.
Retrieved from:
http://www.ehow.com/about_5381978_history-
medieval-theater.html
Retrieved from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medieval_theatre
Pfontaine. 2010. Drama 1301 project-Medieval
Theater. Retrieved from:
http://www.slideshare.net/pfontaine42/medieval-
drama-fnl
115. Future Readings
Anthology of Middle English Literature
Art History Resources on the Web
Australian Catholic University
Castles of Britain.com
College at Oneonta
Department of Astrology at University of
Maryland
End of Europe’s Middle Ages University
Calgary
Gregorian Chant
History Link 101
Labyrinth at Georgetown University
National Archives and Records
Administration
New York Carver.com
Timelines.Info