Middle English language was a a spoken and written form used mostly in England from around 1100 to 1500. We can say that Middle English is considered to be the unity where all the varieties of the English language were spoken after the Norman Conquest until the late 15th century. Moreover, it developed out of Late Old English, seeing many changes in its orthography, grammar and pronunciation.
Writing customs during this era varied widely, but by the end of the period, the creation of the printing press helped develop the procedure of it. At the late portion of the 14th century the consolidation of English as a written language was made as we have mentioned earlier. And in conclusion, the latter portion of the 14th century can be seen as one of the most significant periods in the history of the English language. During this unique period, English got maturity and widespread popularity among people belonging to the society.
The English literature came into being when the Anglos and Saxton and Jutes came to settle in England in the later part of the fifth century and eventually gave the country its name and its language. It should also be noted that Middle English has its own certain features which distinguish them from others. To start with, we have impersonality which is clearly one of the most important characteristic in Middle English. The writers did not have prestige, as in this era readers would focus on the poem more than on the poet.
That is why nowadays, we hardly know the names of the writers of middle english as they were anonymous and also because it was really common to rewrite the poems and this change would affect directly in the source. The medieval author was at a disadvantage compared with popular writers today in having no publisher interested in keeping his name before the public. As I have mentioned earlier, the works were commonly rewrited, that means originality was not necessary as today in literature. Story material in particular was looked upon as common property and the notion that one could claim property in ideas is seldom encountered.
Of course the work were less personal and most of the time not original. Religion plays an important role in Middle English literature, it is a crucial element of social life in the medieval ages. It should also be pointed out that men and women lived thinking on the next life, they were always worried and scared of going to hell , they felt fear, and for them, religion was their way out. Later on we will discuss element and we will look to its influences in religion. Furthermore, oral quality is another important feature in Middle English. Much of the Middle English Literature was meant to be listened to rather than read. Most of the literature was memorized by someone and then related to the audience. One of the reasons of oral tradition was that books were very expensive and common people could not afford to buy them not only that but also many people were not able to read.
As a result, verse was really common in medieval english literature. Courtly love was essential and the first person who popularized the phrase courtly love was Gaston Paris . Courtly love is a highly conventionalized medieval tradition of love between a knight and a married noblewoman.
The love of the knight for his lady was thought to be an honoring passion and the relationship was typically unconsummated. Summing up, it was a secret affair between the lovers and we can say it was similar to adultery. Chivalry is a prominent feature of Middle English Literature. We define chivalry as the medieval knightly system with its own religious, moral, and social code.
Middle English Poetry is mostly concerned with heroic deeds of knights and that is a feature we can clearly see in famous middle english poems such as The Canterbury Tales and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Romance is another crucial characteristic of Middle English Literature. Romance is defined as a novel or other prose narrative depicting heroic or marvelous deeds, v pageantry, romantic exploits, etc. usually in a historical or imaginary setting. In the Middle ages, the term is linked to tales specifically concerned with knights, chivalry, and courtly love.