Medieval TimesWeek 1:Beowulf:Danes moved into England (Anglo-Saxons)Vague distance past - once upon a time in ScandinaviaComposed b/w 650 and 1000 (know very little about it)We think it was carried orally for generations and written down in 1000, through dating of the writingResurfaced in 1550 during the time of Queen Elizabeth. Owned in libraryBurned in 1731Transcribed in 1800 by 2 IrishmenOriginal Script is different from the transcription (lettering is different). Translation is even more different.Beowulf is a primary source. "Intro to Beowulf" is secondary sourceWhen reading a primary source… is the translation good, what am I trying to get from it.1. What's going on. To start, visualize the hall2. Some things will be odd, strange, vastly different from us… believe in monsters, sleep in hall, BUT also look for what is similar. 3. Also think about hierarchy (positive) for the essay. Take notes. CE-Common Era, JESUS, BCE-Before Common Erac. 1350ca. 1348Important Dates:St. Augustine died in 430313: Constantine legalizes Christianity. Ends Christian persecution except for 1 blip. Lot's of officials were Christian and paved the way for advancement. 180: Marcus Aurelius dies (last of the 5 good emperors of Rome) :(Week 2“Medieval” in Context1. Medieval Overviewa. “Medieval” as “Other”b. Chronologyc. Social Structure2. Rome after Romea. Anxieties about Rome’s fallb. Practical legaciesc. Dreams of a renewed Europed. Claims of glorious Ancient Ancestors1. Medieval Overviewa. “Medieval” as “Other”Master Narrative: how ppl tend to talk about history (dominant storyline)Medieval Master Narrative creates the notion of the Middle Ages. People look back and want to be like ancient people (Rome). Middle Ages are in between (we think it’s disgusting: blood, guts, no bathroom)Brutish (pervasive idea) vs Romantic (idealized version but not as common)New WorldSlaveryProtestantismReligious warsCapitalismWorkersIndustrialismPollutionScientific RevolutionClimateb. ChronologyEarly/Child- bad, except for 800 w/ Charlemagne. Subject to invasion and migration. Brief halt of invasion from 750-850. Vikings and Magyards later invade. Human turmoil. Poor economy. Farmers can barely feed themselves. No trade. Small towns. Most declined. Very little activity. Time of struggle, warlords, and thugs. Politically, Charlemagne’s fam (grandfather, father, son, grandsons for 100 years). Religion, we have monasticism, where nuns and monks are spreading Christianity. Brief period of Papal power with Gregory I in 600. Preserve intellectual ideas by copying what they already had from earlier times. Western Europe is the most humble, nearly powerless.Middle/Middle Age (peak)- Central is good, from 1000-1350. Everything gets better, even the weather (800-1300) called the “little optimum”. Increased the fertility of European soils. When not being invaded, they invade. Peasants efficiency increases. Towns revive, along with it the economy and population. Feudalism rises, era of “Feudal Kings”. Completely decentralized. No one can stop the Feudal lords, he forces us to work, also protects us. Armed thugs, ruling by right of might. Eventually gathered under the rule of kings, gradually more central. Bishops are more powerful. Lot’s of marvelous, and 2 great. Gregory VII (1075)- reformed the church. Innocent III (1200) – pope during greatest convocation in M.E. 4th Lateran Council (1215). All Bishops and abbots come together to talk about church policy, and shape the Christianity for centuries to come. 7 sacraments. Confession. Universities are founded, and scholasticism is created by Peter Abelard (1125 – great intellectual and famous lover) and Thomas Aquinas (1275). Europe begins to compete against neighbors, Islamic South and Byzantine East. Crusades!Late/End- Bubonic Plague (1347-50), time for recovery. Famine (1315-1317). Also many recurrences of BP, which people lived in fear of. Economy in slumps as a result of BP. Politics, lots of silly wars (100 years war b/w England and France). Papacy and Monasticism is in decay. Main theme of church is anti-clericalism (clergy are not holy, rather corrupt, greedy, fat people). Intellectually ~, but humanism takes root, decline of scholasticism. Europe begins to expand it’s boundaries, Age of exploration. Lot’s of inventions, time of hardship and ingenuity.c. Social StructureThree order tripartite view (hierarchy, mutualism, exclusion)Oratores (5%) - those who prayBellatores (5%) - those who fightLaboratores (everybody else/90%) - those who workHierarchy- everything was ranked.Oratores were most important, as salvation was everything to the Christian countries.Bellatores kept you alive and were also important.Laboratores did necessities, but still not as important.There was also ranking within each of these classesMutualism- everybody is happy with their class, and performing their tasks/roleExclusion- Women and non-Christians2. Rome after RomeWhen talking about Rome, we’re talking bout the Roman empire.Rome lasted 1000 yearsFall of Rome: 476Rome didn’t just “fall”; it gradually morphed into a different civilization.West declined, East (Byzantine) lasted another 1000 years.Gregory I- There reallywas decline (from excerpt)a. Anxieties about Rome’s fallFuture empires look at the Fall of Rome, and attempt to learn how to avoid that collapse.Varying reasons: 19th century- weak Christians, lead poisoning in drains, homosexuality undermined values. 20th century- feminism. 21st century- AIDS epidemic. Climate change from volcanoes in Greenland (535/536). Concerned with their own problems and try to liken it to the fall of Rome. A polemic view (not the actual history)b. Practical LegaciesRoads, language, architecture, aqueducts, plumbing, political Senate. Many European countries + Louisiana follow Roman Law.c. Dreams of a renewed empirePpl want to recreate Rome, the first time this is attempted by CharlemagneOtto 1 (936- ) Holy Roman Empire, emphasizes his Christianity. Loosely confederated states with a ~ powerful emperor.d. Claims of Glorious Ancient AncestorsClaim a descent from these wonderful Roman people. Tommy Trojan! Romans themselves dress like their ancestors. Rome was founded by Aneas, escaping from Troy. Carried his father and son. Searches Mediterranean, founds Rome.Brutus, Aneis’s son, founds Britain and London (as new Troy). Told in Wace’s Brut, most popular book. Says you’re descended from Romans who