The Medieval Period went from the collapse of the Rome Empire to the beginning of the Renaissance, roughly the 5^th to 15^th centuries. During the span of this period both Old English (5^th to 11^th century) and Middle English (11^th to 15^th century) were used, showing some differences in style and content.

Religion

• Most of the literature that exists today from Old English was copied by monks which therefore gives it a Christian tone. Previous to these written copies, myths and legends were related orally which also explains why there aren’t really any original texts from non-Christians.
• Much of the writing from this era was influenced by religion, there were translations from the Bible, biographies about the saints, and moralistic texts.
• Much of the writing at this time was produced by the clergy, they wrote many of the sermons and religious poetry.

Heroes

• Heroic poetry is one of the main types of poetry to have survived from Old English. Heroic poems are important because they show us how people used to live.
• King Arthur: an Anglo-Saxon legend who fought the Romans. A leader of the late 5^th century and early 6^th century. He led the defence of Britain against the Saxon invaders. His stories are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and were commonly written later on in Middle English and Old French.

Important works and Influences

• Some of the most important works from these centuries are "Beowulf" (Old English); "The Seafarer" (Old English); "The Wanderer" (Old English); and "The Canterbury Tales" (Middle English).
• One of the biggest influences to English literature at the time was the Italian writer Dante Alighieri’s "The Divine Comedy", written in 1320.

Themes

• The characteristics from the Medieval Period are shaped by the Catholic Church, feudalism, and chivalry.
• Works often had a didactic or moralistic tone, presenting theological and philosophical questions.
• While Old English concentrated mainly on religious and heroic literature, Middle English included more romance literature and the Arthurian legends. There was a lot of overlap nonetheless.
• During Middle English “courtly love” was a major theme, idealising love and showing the interactions between knights and ladies. It commonly portrays an unattainable lady, the heroics to attain her affection, and heartfelt descriptions of the knight’s emotions.
• Another important theme during Middle English was “the feudal system”, it showed how the social system worked, and how you had to show loyalty to lords, and the code of chivalry.
• Many tales, especially those about King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, included elements of history, myth, and chivalric romance.