Lakhasly

1. 
   

   Anglo-Norman Literature

   
   


2. 
   

   Introduction

   
   

Norman Conquest

The Normans was originally a hardy race of sea rovers living in Scandinavia. In the 10th century, they conquered a part of northern France, which has been called Normandy, and settled down there. They adopted French as their language and embraced Christianity. They became renowned for their learning, their military prowess and their organizing ability.

The Duke of Normandy William the Great was an able military leader and statesman. In the year 1066, he led theNorman army to attack England. The two armies met and fought at Hastings. Finally the English army was defeated. William and his men marched speedily into London and William became the King of England.

After the conquest, feudal system was established in English society. The new king ruled England with a high hand. He made a thorough job of taking over the country, and had everything inventoried. William saw himself as the owner of the country. He owned the land and everything in it. The feudal social structure in England was just like the pyramid in Egypt. At its top was the King William and below him were his noblemen such as barons and knights.

Social Conditions in the Feudal EnglandIn
the feudal society, class division was very obvious, and class contradictions became very sharp. The peasants, who had become serfs, toiled all the year round for the feudal landlords. The church and court were united to control and oppress the people. Those who dared to say anything against the feudal order would be put to death. Moreover, continuous wars with other countries and diseases added miseries to the English people. The government had no sympathy with the people. Instead, they enforced heavy taxes upon the people. The poor peasants could not endure any longer, and they rose up to fight against the ruling class. The year 1381 witnessed a famous peasant uprising led by Wat Tyler and John Ball. Though it failed and its leaders were killed, it gave the ruling class a heavy blow.

The Influence of the Norman Conquest upon English Language and Literature

After the conquest, the Normans introduced the body of customs and ideals known as chivalry into England. The knightly code, the romantic interest in women, tenderness and reverence paid to Virgin Mary were reflected in literature.

With the coming of the Normans, the Anglo-Saxons sank to a position of abjectness. Their language was made a despised thing. French words of warfare and chivalry, art and luxury, science and law, began to come into the English language. Thus three languages existed in England in that period. The Normans spoke French, the lower classes spoke English, and the scholars and clergymen used Latin.

The literature of that period was varied in interest and extensive in range. The Normans began to write historiesor chronicles to record their achievements. Most of the books were written in Latin or French.

The prevailing form of literature in the feudal England was the romance.

2. The Romance in the Anglo-Norman Period

Essential Features of the Romance

The romance was the prevailing literary form in the medieval period. It was a long composition, sometimes in verse and sometimes in prose, which described the life and adventures of a noble hero. Its essential features are the following:

1. 
   

   It lacks general resemblance to truth or reality.) It exaggerates the vices of human nature and idealizes the virtues.

   
   


2. 
   

   It contains perilous adventures more or less remote from ordinary life.

   
   


3. 
   

   It lays emphasis on supreme devotion to a fair lady.

   
   


4. 
   

   The central character of the romance is the knight, a man of noble birth and skilled in the use of weapons, who is commonly described as riding forth to seek adventures, or taking part in tournaments, or fighting for his lord in battle. He is devoted to the church and the king.

   
   

In romances we see an epitome of the English society inprospered for about 300 years (1200-1500). It was written for the upper class, so it had little to do with the common people.