Category Archives: Anglo-Normans

A Primer for Books 1-2 of Thomas Malory’s “Le Morte d’Arthur”

Posted on January 22, 2016 by Regina Jeffers

For those of you who have never read Thomas Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur or have not read it since you were in secondary school, I intend to keep this simple (or as simple as a 545 years old story can … Continue reading →

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John Gower, Medieval English Poet and Contemporary of William Langland and Geoffrey Chaucer

Posted on December 4, 2015 by Regina Jeffers

John Gower was a medieval English poet whose work spoke of moral allegory and courtly love. He was known to be a friend of Geoffrey Chaucer and their styles were compatible. Gower was said to influence many other poets of … Continue reading →

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What Does It Mean to “Be Knighted”?

Posted on November 19, 2015 by Regina Jeffers

In Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, Sir William Lucas has been knighted by the King for his service as to Meryton. But what exactly does it mean to be knighted? Knighthoods likely date back to ancient Rome. At that time … Continue reading →

Posted in Anglo-Normans, British history, Great Britain, Jane Austen, Living in the Regency, real life tales, Regency era, Uncategorized | 9 Comments

William Langland, Cleric and Social Reformer and Author of “Piers Plowman”

Posted on November 16, 2015 by Regina Jeffers

William Langland is the presumed author of the Middle English alliterative poem known as Piers the Ploughman. “After George Kane’s thorough study of the available internal and external evidence in his Piers Plowman: The Evidence for Authorship (1965), single authorship … Continue reading →

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Chaucer’s Influence (Part 2): The Canterbury Tales

Posted on November 6, 2015 by Regina Jeffers

What should every learner of British literature know of Chaucer’s “The Canterbury Tales”? Chaucer, in the persona of the narrator and civil servant relates the stories from the different characters found within the tales. The pilgrims are making a journey … Continue reading →

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Chaucer’s Influence: Minor Stories and Poems

Posted on October 23, 2015 by Regina Jeffers

According to Chaucer’s biography on the Luminarium, “GEOFFREY CHAUCER, English poet. The name Chaucer, a French form of the Latin calcearius, a shoemaker, is found in London and the eastern counties as early as the second half of the 13th … Continue reading →

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Literature of the Age of Chaucer: Part I

Posted on October 2, 2015 by Regina Jeffers

Many experts consider the Age of Chaucer quite barren in regard to “great” literary production. With the exception of Chaucer, no one of note rises to the top. Most scholars blame the War of the Roses and the decline of … Continue reading →

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History of the Age of Chaucer and Life in England (1350 -1500): An Overview

Posted on September 22, 2015 by Regina Jeffers

Chivalry of the earlier Anglo-Norman period soon fell into disfavor, and the age of Chaucer was the earmark of society’s evolution from medievalism to modernism. During this period, we find religious heretics, Wycliffe, and the Lollards. The emphasis changed to … Continue reading →

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Anglo-Norman Literature: The Pearl Poet

Posted on September 9, 2015 by Regina Jeffers

The poem known as Pearl came to us in the fourteenth century, c. 1370. It is the first of four poems copied by a single scribe. Patience and Purity retell stories from the Old Testament and Sir Gawain and the Green … Continue reading →

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A Labor Day Break from Blogging…

Posted on September 7, 2015 by Regina Jeffers

LABOR DAY: WHAT IT MEANS According the U.S., Department of Labor, “Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a … Continue reading →

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