Lit Cafe: Middle Ages

The Anglo-Saxon Period

The Anglo-Saxon Period

Bede 673-735

Known as the "Venerable" Bede, he was born near Monkwearmouth, Durham, England. At age seven, Bede was placed in the monastery of Wearmouth under the care of Benedict Biscop. Two years later, he moved to the monastery of Jarrow on Durham, where he was ordained priest at age 30, in 703, and remained a monk for the rest of his life. Although, most of his time was spent studying and teaching, his devotion to the church became ideal. During this time, Bede wrote homilies, biographies, of saints and abbots, hymns, epigrams, works on chronology, grammar and physical science. Other works more closely related to the church included commentaries on the Old and New Testaments, and the translation of the Gospel of St. John into Anglo-Saxon. His most classic work was his Latin Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum (Ecclesiastical History of the English People). During the reign of King Alfred the Great, the manuscript was translated into Old English and helped people take pride in their past. This single, precious source for early English history was finished in 731. The "Venerable" Bed died in 735 and was canonized in 1899 on feast day, May 25.

The Medieval Period

Chaucer, Geoffrey 1343?-1400

Little is known about Chaucer´s early years including the date and place of his birth. He was, however, born into a high middle class family. His father was a successful wine merchant who later helped Chaucer obtain future employment with the court of King Edward III. In 1356, Chaucer became a page in the household of Prince Lionel, King Edward III´s son. At twenty, he became a soldier in France and was eventually taken prisoner. After being ransomed by his King, Chaucer held many jobs serving his country and married one of the queen´s attendants. Chaucer was employed as a courtier, diplomat, civil administrator, and a translator. His mastery of Latin, French and Italian was a valuable asset for not only translating but in his later development as a writer. Many other jobs took Chaucer to France and Italy, including Comptroller of Customs for the Port of London, the Clerk of the Works of Westminster Abbey and the Tower of London, a Member of Parliament, and Justice of the Peace. Chaucer became a highly valued public servant in his time. In 1369, Chaucer wrote his first long poem, The Book of the Duchess, about the death of Lady Blanche, the first wife of John of Gaunt, in stylish French verse. Later, Chaucer adopted Italian literature and wrote Trolius and Criseyde, much based on Boccaccio. In 1386, Chaucer found himself in hard times and struggled financially before being awarded a pension. The Canterbury Tales saw the end of Chaucer´s life, never being finished but still becoming his greatest work. The unique stories and language of humor and deep insight in The Canterbury Tales set Chaucer´s writing aside from others. Chaucer died on October 25, 1400 and was buried in Westminster Abbey. He was the first English poet to be buried in "Poet´s Corner". Today, Chaucer´s name stands second only to Shakespeare in English Literature.

Malory, Sir Thomas ?-1471

While in prison for extortion, robbery, cattle rustling, and other various crimes, (1451-71) Sir Thomas Malory complied Le Morte d´ Arthur, his most famous work. It is uncertain if all the crimes that Malory was accused of were true because it was during a time or Yorkist ascendancy when law was a weapon of power. Malory held an opposing role in the Wars of the Roses and may have been seen as an enemy of the Crown. Born around 1400, Malory left his family in Warwickshire some years later and fought in the Hundred Years´ War and was elected to Parliament in 1445. Malory´s life went downward from there. He was arrested and indicted on several offenses after trying to reclaim his rightful land, he was easily found guilty because of the disorderly way of life that he took part in, and he also formulated an escape from prison by swimming across a moat with many followers and later terrorized a nearby abbey for two days. One year after writing Le Morte d´Arthur, Malory died in his prison cell. Malory complied, arranged, and rewrote the original Latin, French, and English sources of the stories of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table to create Le Morte d´Arthur. In order for Malory to escape the disorder and gunpowder battles outside the prison walls he composed a serious, romantic ideal, Le Morte d´Arthur.

The Ages

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