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Textual study:
Ballads of Robin Hood It was popular in the second half of the 14th C. Origin：the ballads are based on the perpetual struggles of the peasants against the landlords and local official. (peasant uprising). The character of Robin Hood He is a partly historical and partly legendary character. He is manysided. He is strong, brave, clever, tender-hearted and affectionate. He hates the noble class and loves the low-class people. However, he is devout and orthodox in religion; in addition, he shows reverence for the king. In spite of this, Robin Hood represents the fighting spirit, indomitable courage and revolutionary energy of the English peasantry

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The basic characteristics of ballads





The beginning is often abrupt: without any introduction of the characters and the background of the tale There are strong dramatic elements: single episode, climax, intensity and immediacy The story is often told through dialogue and action The theme is often tragic, though there are a number of comic ballads The ballad meter is used: four-line stanzas odd numbered lines with 4 feet each even numbered lines with 3 feet each
知识目标： 1.了解十五世纪的英国历史背景及社会发展状况。 2.掌握十五世纪英国文学的特征。 3.了解十五世纪英国的著名作家及其生平。 4.阅读理解并正确评价十五世纪英国著名作家的 代表作。 重点阅读理解十五世纪英国著名作家的作品教学 难点正确评价十五世纪英国著名作家的代表作

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3. The discovery of America and the new sea routes Christopher Columbus, 1492, landed in America Vascoda Gama, 1497, round the tip of Africa and reached India John Cabot and his son Sebastian, 1498, provided the basis for the English claim to North America
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Quatrain: definition
A poem or stanza that contains 4 lines with various rhyming patterns. Ex: It fell about the Martinmas time, And a gay time it was then, When our goodwife got puddings to make, And she’s boiled them in the pan.
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4. Reformation of the church Tudor Monarchs ruled England and Wales for 200 years Henry VII Henry VIII -- 6 wives: divorce 2, kill 2, struggle for divorce Edward VI Mary Tudor Elizabeth I Henry VIII took decisive measure to break away from the Church of Rome. 1534---passed the Act of Supremacy: as the supreme head on earth, thus the Anglican Church was founded

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2. The War of the Roses (1455 – 1485) a series of civil wars fought between the two great families, both of which claimed the right to the English throne. All noble families were involved in it. The House of Lancaster-red rose The House of York - white rose Result: Henry Tudor (VII) married Elizabeth of the House of York -brought compromise between the two families and established a highly consolidated rule.
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Subject matter of the ballads English ballads: the Robin Hood ballads war ballad, bloodshed ballad, superstition ballad, domestic affairs, outlawry, love, sea, and border ballad. Collections of ballads Bishop Thomas Percy, Reliques of Ancient English Poetry Professor F. J. Child, English and Scottish Ballads
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3. Early English plays ancient Greece and Rome, drama was a form of entertainment roman catholic church prohibited it 9th and 10th century allowed only for religious services 14th century developed into 2 kinds Mystery plays -are chiefly based on stories form the Bible Miracle plays -are on the lives of Christian saints
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Medieval literature (continued): Ballad 1. Ballad 2. Textual study: 1) Robin Hood and the three squires 2) Sir Patrick Spens
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Ballad: definition


An anonymous narrative poem preserved by oral transmission. Usually in quatrains with a distinctive and memorable rhyme, the ballad uses iambic tetrameter for the 1st & 3rd lines and iambic trimeter for the 2nd & 4th. Ex: The youngster was clothed in scarlet red, In scarlet fine and gay; And he did frisk it over the plain, And chanted a roundelay.

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Literature in the 15th century





1. Popular Ballads Review the definition and the main feature of ballads 2. Sir Thomas Malory (1405 –1471) The Death of Arthur: complied together the stories of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table contribution to the development of English prose left a legacy to later writers that many of them used as subject matter in their writing