7. From Anonymity to Individualised Flashcards
15-17
What can you say about anonymity of the writers of the ME period?
Many texts were anonymous. In other words, “unknown”, having a distinct style/voice.
What can you say about “The Owl and the Nightingale”?
It uses the Latin genre of debate (conflictus). The two sides are presented regarding the topics of concern of that period in a comical way, torn between the religious issues and new thoughts of love.
Owl represents seriousness, whereas the nightingale is light-hearted.
No final judgement is given. The reader must decide himself.
What was the main audience during the ME period first? Did it change? Prove your point.
The main audience was educated court and aristocratic circles. A lot of were illiterate until 5 centuries later, when the readership got expanded and a wide range of poems appeared of various genres and themes: love, religious, morality, politics, etc.
Whom the first book in English was printed by?
Caxton.
What were the forms used, types of works back then?
Story telling is a fundamental part of ME.
The story-vision - one of the most frequent form in medieval literature.
What kind of form was used by both Chaucer and Langland (describe it)? Do you have any work in mind as an example?
The dream-vision - one of the most frequent form, where the narrator compares another world (usually paradise) with the earthy human world.
“Pearl” - an Utopian work, also about human limitations and knowledge (f.e., when mentioning Adam’s story).
What was recurred topic during Renaissance? Bring examples of work on the topic.
The human limitations and knowledge. Examples: Marlow’s “Doctor Faustus”, Milton’s “Paradise Lost”. “Pearl”, too, which is more direct and involves the reader.
What’s the most important anonymous work?
“Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” (a lay).
What is a lay? When did it appear? What was it mostly about? Bring at least 1 example.
Lay appeared in the 12th century, a kind of French romance intended to be sung. There were several attempts to imitate French lays in English. It was mostly about legendary tales rather than historical tales based on facts. For example, “Sir Orfeo”.
