Week 4 Flashcards
Subgenres of Romance (now)
Folktale
Fairytale
Saint’s life = stories in which saints are portrayed as legends
Westerns
Fantasy
Mystery
Horror
Sci-fi
Subgenres of Romance (Middle Ages)
Saint’s life and romance of chivalry
Romance: general characteristics
- Idealistic (virtues)
- Happy ending (something is achieved; an idea proves itself)
- Special narrative logic (completely unrealistic)
Symbolic significance in Romance
Mirror on the wall = facing truth
Meal = celebrating unity
White = good vs. bad (evil)
Romance vs. Epic (Early Middle Ages)
Epic is a new genre in English Literature. Epic celebrates hero who redeems his people in their hour of need. The hero’s name would never be forgotten.
Form of Epic (Early Middle Ages)
Alliterative verse; doesn’t have a rhyme at the end, but stresses.
Long poems
High Middle Ages
During 1100-1300 the Normans introduce feudalism (hierarchy: lord vs. vassal)
What is the special code that knights have developed?
Chivalrie
- Prowess in battle (horseback)
- Battle (tournaments and hunting)
- Throuthe: loyalty
- Curteisie: generous behaviour
- Humble
- Defence of poor and vulnerable
- Devotion to Virgin Mary (being brave and goof)
Medieval Romance: origin and form
Origin: France
French language was used for poetry
Form: narrative verse, often octosyllabic, often long, later prose
Authors: clerks
Performance: oral, communal
Audience: court
Symbolic significance in Chaucer’s the Franklin’s Tale
Rocks: Doreen’s fear
Marriage: equality between Dorigen and Arverages
Illusion: about rocks and love
When was the Franklin’s Tale set?
Pre-Christian era and distant world of King Arthur
Chaucer and antifeminism; what is his position?
In Chaucer, there is a medieval view of women, which mostly comes from clerical misogyny.
Chaucer takes the middle position.
