What did medieval literature focus on?

Literature in the Medieval Period Much of the early literature of this period consists of sermons, prayers, lives of saints, and homilies. In secular medieval literature, the figure of King Arthur, an ancient British hero, attracted the attention and imagination of these early writers.

What are two important works of literature from the Middle Ages?

10 Classic Works of Medieval Literature Everyone Should Read

• Dante, The Divine Comedy.
• Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales.
• Margery Kempe, The Book of Margery Kempe.
• Marco Polo, Travels.
• Geoffrey of Monmouth, The History of the Kings of Britain.
• Anonymous, The Mabinogion.
• Anonymous, Beowulf.

What is medieval literature?

Medieval literature is a broad subject, encompassing essentially all written works available in Europe and beyond during the Middle Ages (encompassing the one thousand years from the fall of the Western Roman Empire ca. AD 500 to the beginning of the Florentine Renaissance in the late 15th century).

Why is medieval called medieval?

The ‘Middle Ages’ are called this because it is the time between the fall of Imperial Rome and the beginning of the Early modern Europe. The Dark Ages are given this name because Europe was in disarray in comparison to the orderliness of classical antiquity and life was short and poor.

What did they use to write with in medieval times?

Most medieval manuscripts were written on specially treated animal skins, called parchment or vellum (paper did not become common in Europe until around 1450). The pelts were first soaked in a lime solution to loosen the fur, which was then removed.

What do you know about Middle English literature?

The term Middle English literature refers to the literature written in the form of the English language known as Middle English, from the late 12th century until the 1470s. Among the many religious works are those in the Katherine Group and the writings of Julian of Norwich and Richard Rolle.