Describe Medieval literature
Answers
Medieval literature is defined broadly as any work written in Latin or the vernacular between c. 476-1500 CE, including philosophy, religious treatises, legal texts, as well as works of the imagination. More narrowly, however, the term applies to literary works of poetry, drama, romance, epic prose, and histories written in the vernacular (though some histories were in Latin). While it may seem odd to find histories included with forms of fiction, it should be remembered that many 'histories' of the Middle Ages contain elements of myth, fable, and legend and, in some cases, were largely the product of imaginative writers.
Language & Audience
Literary works were originally composed in Latin, but poets began writing in vernacular (the common language of the people) as early at the 7th century CE. Vernacular literature was further popularized in Britain in the Kingdom of Wessex by Alfred the Great (r. 871-899 CE) in an attempt to encourage widespread literacy, and other nations then followed suit.
Norman Conquest of 1066 CE established French as the language of literature and transformed the English language from Old English (in use c. 500-1100 CE) to Middle English (c. 1100-1500 CE). The stories written during both these eras were originally medieval folklore, tales transmitted orally, and since most of the population was illiterate, books continued to be read out loud to an audience. The aural aspect of literature, therefore, affected the way it was composed. Writers wrote for a performance of their work, not a private reading in solitude.
Literacy rates rose during the 15th century, and with the development of the printing press, more books became available. The act of reading by one’s self for personal pleasure became more common and this changed the way writers wrote. Thomas Malory’s Le Morte D’Arthur (written 1469, published 1485 CE) is the earliest novel in the west – a work written for an individual audience with layers of personal meaning and symbolism – and lay the foundation for the development of the novel as recognized in the present day.
Answer:
Medieval literature is a broad subject, encompassing essentially all written works available in Europe and beyond during the Middle Ages (that is, the one thousand years from the fall of the Western Roman Empire ca. ... The literature of this time was composed of religious writings as well as secular works.