The 11 Features of Medieval Literature Most Important

Some Characteristics of medieval literature Are religious themes, lack of authorship, composition in verse and oral tradition.

The Middle Ages Is one that is located immediately after the Classic Ancient Era, marked by the fall of the Western Roman Empire towards 476 and culminates with the fall of the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantine Empire, for the year 1453. For many authors, it is simplified as The period between the year 500 and the 1500.

Cantigas de Santa María, an example of medieval literature. Cantigas de Santa María, an example of medieval literature.

During this stage, the role of the Church was very important. The clergy congregated in monasteries, which later gave rise to the first universities, where the art of reading and writing spread.

There was a strong moral repression for which was believed much in demons, dragons and witches. The punishment of hell, described in excessive detail, and examples of the lives of some saints were the predominant themes of the sparse literature. Strict censorship prevented the development of any other subject.

It was an era in which the Muslim invasion and crusades caused great influence in the life of society. The growth of Islam isolated communication between the Far East and the West.

The dispersion of the central power of the Roman Empire in numerous kingdoms and the birth of the bourgeoisie, a new social class that dedicated itself to construction and trade for its own benefit, which would give way to capitalism in the future.

All this, as well as the social structure based on the feudal system, served as an influence to the literary composition, which took themes of life and repressed desires as content. That is why literature had the characteristics described below.

Characteristics of the literature of the Middle Ages more outstanding

1- Orality

By the time of the Middle Ages, the office of reading and writing was very scarce. The way of transmitting stories and stories was oral. This is how the authors of works should relate them to the public to make them known.

2- Language

The western Roman Empire had Latin as its language, and in this language most of the works are done. In the western empire was the Greek.

From the rupture of the empire and with the fusion with local dialects, Romance languages ​​arose from Latin, such as Castilian, Catalan, Galician-Portuguese, Asturian-Leonese, Navarro-Aragonese and Mozarabic languages. The use of uppercase and lowercase letters was started with some rules for this.

3 - Religiosity

Although profane literature existed, religious literature prevailed at the time. God as the center of everything, the church as a means to reach God and man whose existence is due to God.

The life of saints like St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Francis of Assisi, as well as texts written by them and others about philosophy and theology. The Jewish population also developed literary works.

4- Teaching

It was the main objective of the literary work. Transmit Christian values ​​and serve as a role model, showing both the lives of the saints, their self-denial, sacrifice, fidelity and commitment.

It was also a source of inspiration, the lives of gentlemen Who faithfully served a king or his beloved.

5- Verse

The medieval literary work was written in verse and was designed to be sung. It was considered that for a work to be literary, it should be in verse.

This also made it easier to recite. Many works of the Middle Ages, in fact, are known as poems or songs for this reason.

6- Anonymity

On the one hand it is because the author considered that his work was not his own, but of the people. When it came to topics of renown, an author could appear.

However, to escape censorship and repression, it was written under anonymity, especially if the subjects were magic, alchemy, astrology or romance stories, which could be severely punished.

7- Imitation

Unlike today, the fact that a work was original was not relevant. More important was a recreation of a history already known or written in advance.

This fact, on occasion, was a consequence of the oral condition of literature. In the absence of physical copies of a work, another author was given the task of leaving written evidence.

8- Epic

One of the contents of the medieval stories was the adventures of expeditionaries who traveled the world and the endless situations in which they were involved.

Such is the case of Cantar del Mío Cid , The Stories of King Arthur , Rolando's song And others, which are enriched by accounts of authors who traveled as well.

9- Tales and Fables

There was space within an epic story for little anecdotal stories with a moralizing, humorous or religious message. Small oral histories that were later added to the main story in written form.

10- Works by female authors

Although scarce, most of the female works were made by nuns, some of them made later saints, and reflections reflected their revelations and prayers.

11- Traditional Lyric

It refers to the composition arranged to be sung. Among its characteristic features are: wedding, harvest, pilgrimage, but predominantly love.

Its structure begins with a lament for the loss or delay of the lover on the part of the in love. This feeling is trusted by a relative or close friend.

Then the outcome with the encounter with the expected. The metrical structure had two slopes, the parallels that repeat the verses changing only the word of rhyme, and the zejelesca that is structured in a refrain, monorrimos verses, verses that rhyme with the refrain and again the refrain.

References

  1. 10 Characteristics of Renaissance Literature. Recovered from: caracteristicas.co.
  2. Castro, J. (2001). Typology and characterization of apocalyptic thought in English medieval literature . Salamanca, Ediciones University of Salamanca.
  3. Characteristics of Medieval Literature. Retrieved from: britlitwithbeavers.wikispaces.com.
  4. Medieval literature. Recovered from: recursos.cnice.mec.es.
  5. Parnell, J. (2005). Literature of the Medieval Era, Student Textbook . Jenison, The Puritans' Home School Curriculum.


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