Medieval literature  

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{{Template}}'''Medieval literature''' is a broad subject, encompassing essentially all written works available in [[Europe]] and beyond during the [[Middle Ages]] (encompassing the one thousand years from the [[fall of the Roman Empire|fall of the Western Roman Empire]] ca. AD [[500]] to the beginning of the Florentine [[Renaissance]] in the late 15th century). The literature of this time was composed of religious writings as well as [[secular]] works. Just as in modern literature, it is a complex and rich field of study, from the utterly [[sacred]] to the exuberantly [[profane]], touching all points in-between. Because of the wide range of time and place it is difficult to speak in general terms without oversimplification, and thus the literature is best characterized by its place of origin and/or language, as well as its genre. {{Template}}'''Medieval literature''' is a broad subject, encompassing essentially all written works available in [[Europe]] and beyond during the [[Middle Ages]] (encompassing the one thousand years from the [[fall of the Roman Empire|fall of the Western Roman Empire]] ca. AD [[500]] to the beginning of the Florentine [[Renaissance]] in the late 15th century). The literature of this time was composed of religious writings as well as [[secular]] works. Just as in modern literature, it is a complex and rich field of study, from the utterly [[sacred]] to the exuberantly [[profane]], touching all points in-between. Because of the wide range of time and place it is difficult to speak in general terms without oversimplification, and thus the literature is best characterized by its place of origin and/or language, as well as its genre.
 +==The fantastique==
 +
 +The ''fantastique'' was virtually defined in the [[Middle Ages]]. This was a time when the supernatural was perceived as something to be avoided, but not unbelievable. The old [[Celtic mythology|Celtic]], [[Franks|Frankish]] and [[Germanic Europe|Germanic]] [[Religion and mythology|myths]] were translated from [[religion]] (implying [[belief]] and [[worship]]) into popular [[folklore]] (implying belief but not worship). At first, the [[Roman Catholic Church | Catholic Church]] allowed the telling of the stories as stories. As time went by, the people's practice of worship came to be more closely associated with Christian tradition and less with pagan tradition. In many cases, one prominent example being the [[King Arthur|Arthurian Romances]], this practice is reflected in the telling of the stories, which were also purposefully altered to incorporate Christian tradition as time went by.
 +
 +The root of modern thought about and artistic depiction of many things which are today often termed 'supernatural' (such as [[angel]]s, [[demon]]s, [[fairies]], [[witches]], et cetera) has its beginnings in the period often called the Middle Ages. Concepts and characters such as [[Melusine]], [[Harlequin]], [[Oberon (Fairy King)|Oberon]], [[Morgan Le Fay]], et cetera, were first given their definitive shapes at this time.
 +
 +Significant contributions of the times include:
 +* The ''[[Chanson de geste|Chansons de geste]]'' [Songs of Deed] such as ''[[The Song of Roland|La Chanson de Roland]]'' [The Song Of Roland] (c. 1100), ''[[Tristan and Iseult|Le Roman de Tristan et Iseult]]'' [The Novel Of Tristan & Ysolde] (c. 1170), ''[[Lancelot|Lancelot, ou Le Chevalier à la Charette]]'' [Lancelot, or The Knight With A Cart] (c. 1177) and ''[[Percival|Perceval, ou le Conte du Graal]]'' [Perceval, or The Tale Of The Grail] (c. 1182), both by [[Chrétien de Troyes]].
 +* Between 1215 and 1235, [[Robert de Boron]], a successor of Chrétien de Troyes, published ''[[Holy Grail|Histoire du Saint-Graal]]'' [The Story Of The Holy Grail], ''[[Merlin (wizard)|Histoire de Merlin]]'' [The Story Of Merlin], ''Le Livre de Lancelot du Lac'' [The Book Of Lancelot Of The Lake], ''La Quête du Saint-Graal'' [The Quest For The Holy Grail] and ''[[King Arthur|La Mort du Roi Arthu]]'' [The Death Of King Arthur]. These books formed the basis for all subsequent [[Round Table (Camelot)|Arthurian legends]], and established the now well known origins of the Holy Grail as the vessel in which [[Joseph of Arimathea]] collected the blood of [[Jesus Christ]].
 +* The ''[[Fables|Fabliaux]]'', satirical fables which relied on the tradition established by [[Aesop]] of using anthropomorphic animals such as ''[[Reynard|Le Roman de Renart]]'', generally attributed to poet [[Pierre de Saint-Cloud]] (c. 1175). (By the 14th century, ''Le Roman de Renart included over 30 books.)
 +* Medieval [[poetry]] which often employed the supernatural as a mean of literary artifice, such as ''Le [[Roman de la Rose]]'' [The Romance Of The Rose] by [[Guillaume de Lorris]] (c. 1230), the ballads of [[Marie de France]] (c. 1170), ''Le Jeu de la Feuillée'' [The Game Of The Leaves] (c. 1275) by [[Adam de la Halle]], and the anonymous ''Le Livre de la Fontaine Périlleuse'' [The Book Of The Perilous Fountain] (c. 1425).
 +* The religious dramas called ''[[Mystery play|Mysteries]]'' and ''Miracles'' which often took several days to perform, and included spectacular stage effects, such as ''Le Jeu d'Adam'' [Play Of Adam]; ''La Résurrection du Sauveur'' [Our Savior's Resurrection]; ''Le Jeu de Saint Nicolas'' [Play Of Saint Nicolas] by [[Jean Bodel d'Arras]] and the monumental ''Le Mystère de la Passion ''[Mystery Of The Passion, or Passion Play] by [[Arnoul Gréban]], organist and choirmaster of [[Notre Dame de Paris]].
 +
==Notable literature of the period== ==Notable literature of the period==
*''[[Alexiad]]'', [[Anna Comnena]] *''[[Alexiad]]'', [[Anna Comnena]]

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Medieval literature is a broad subject, encompassing essentially all written works available in Europe and beyond during the Middle Ages (encompassing the one thousand years from the fall of the Western Roman Empire ca. AD 500 to the beginning of the Florentine Renaissance in the late 15th century). The literature of this time was composed of religious writings as well as secular works. Just as in modern literature, it is a complex and rich field of study, from the utterly sacred to the exuberantly profane, touching all points in-between. Because of the wide range of time and place it is difficult to speak in general terms without oversimplification, and thus the literature is best characterized by its place of origin and/or language, as well as its genre.

The fantastique

The fantastique was virtually defined in the Middle Ages. This was a time when the supernatural was perceived as something to be avoided, but not unbelievable. The old Celtic, Frankish and Germanic myths were translated from religion (implying belief and worship) into popular folklore (implying belief but not worship). At first, the Catholic Church allowed the telling of the stories as stories. As time went by, the people's practice of worship came to be more closely associated with Christian tradition and less with pagan tradition. In many cases, one prominent example being the Arthurian Romances, this practice is reflected in the telling of the stories, which were also purposefully altered to incorporate Christian tradition as time went by.

The root of modern thought about and artistic depiction of many things which are today often termed 'supernatural' (such as angels, demons, fairies, witches, et cetera) has its beginnings in the period often called the Middle Ages. Concepts and characters such as Melusine, Harlequin, Oberon, Morgan Le Fay, et cetera, were first given their definitive shapes at this time.

Significant contributions of the times include:

Notable literature of the period


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