The Robin Hood Ballads

Ballads in the Middle Ages were of different kinds: historical, legendary, lyrical and humorous. ,The most popular ballads were about Robin Hood, an outlaw. In those days the Norman barons ill-treated the Saxon peasants. They often stole their children and took their cattle and corn. Many, of the peasants became out­laws. The outlaws who are best remembered are Robin Hood and his "merry men". Robin Hood lived in Sherwood ['J"a:wud] Forest in the XII century. His father was killed by Normans and the family was driven off into the forest. He was brave, strong, clever and generous. He opposed his oppressors and helped with purse and sword those who were in any difficulty. He often robbed the rich to protect and help the poor. There are many tales of the tricks he played on his enemies and the good turns he did for his friends.

The Plot of the Tale about Robin Hood "The Merry Men and the Bishop"

One day Robin Hood and his friend Little John were cooking a piece of deer for their dinner in a forest. A bishop and two of his monks were travelling through the forest and saw them. Al­though the bishop knew that Robin's "merry men" lived some­where near Nottingham ['notirjam] he was so hungry that he stop­ped to talk to the two men. He said, "Have you seen the terrible outlaw Robin Hood? I am afraid of him and his men but I should like to have a slice of the meat you are cooking." Robin invited the bishop to have dinner with them. They sat down and had a hearty meal. When they had finished Robin Hood called his men.

¹ funny stories about towns-folk

^! short stories with animals for characters and with a moral

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The bishop and his monks were half dead, when they saw the green coats of the outlaws come out of the forest. Robin told his visitors that he hoped they would dance to amuse his men. One of his men began to play the flute, and the bishop and his monks had to dance. They looked so ridiculous that the "merry men" roared with laughter. At last the outlaws let them free. The church­men never forgot their dance in the forest.

GEOFFREY CHAUCER

(1340—1400)

In the XIV century England was more or less united. It was a time of growing changes. Trade flourished and towns devel­oped. But feudalism was a serious obstacle to the development of the country. The feudal wars had ruined the common people and there were many uprisings against the feudal lords. The best known was Wat Tyler's march to London.

In 1381 the oppressed peasants revolted. Thus 60,000 people marched to London led by Wat Tyler and Jack Straw. But the rebellion was suppressed and Wat Tyler murdered.

The poets Lan gland and Wy cliff urged the peasants to fight for their rights.

The most vivid description of the XIV century England was given by Geoffrey Chaucer ['d3efri 'tjb:sa]. He was the first truly great writer in English literature and is called the "father of English poetry". He had all the elements of medieval culture in his work, but he also cleared the way for realism.

Chaucer was born in London. His family belonged to the rising middle class, the bourgeoisie. His father was a well-to-do wine merchant. G. Chaucer was a court favourite and rose quickly in the world. He served as a soldier in France and visited Italy as a diplomat. He was introduced there to French and Italian life and was greatly influenced by the culture of these countries. He translated works into Latin, French and Italian and began the literature of the new age, the Renaissance. In the last years of his life he wrote his masterpiece "The Canterbury Tales", where he painted a wide picture of English society, such as it was in his days. After his death he was buried in Westminster Abbey.

"The Canterbury Tales" (1387—1400). It is for the "Canterbury Tales" that Chaucer's name is best remembered. The book is an unfinished collection of stories in verse told by the pilgrims¹ on their journey to Canterbury².

¹ people who travelled to sacred places

² England's religious centre

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Each pilgrim was to tell four stories. Chaucer managed to write only twenty-four instead of the proposed one hundred and twenty-four stories.

He kept the whole poem alive and full of humour not only by the tales themselves but also by the talk, comments and the opinions of the pilgrims.

The prologue is the most interesting part of the work. It acquaints the reader with medieval society. The pilgrims are persons of different social ranks and occupations. Chaucer has portrayed them with great skill at once as types and as indivi­duals, true of their own age. There is a knight, a yeoman¹, a nun, a monk, a priest, a merchant, a clerk, a sailor, Chaucer himself and others, thirty-one pilgrims in all. The knight is brave, simple and modest. He is Chaucer's ideal of a soldier. The nun weeps seeing a mouse caught in a trap but turns her head from a beggar in his "ugly rags". The fat monk prefers hunting and good dinner to prayers. The merchant's wife is merry and strong. She has red cheeks and red stockings on her fat legs. The clerk is a poor philo­sopher who spends all his money on books.

Each of the travellers tells a different kind of story showing his own views and character. Some are comical, gay, witty or romantic, others are serious and even tragic.

In Chaucer's age the English language was still divided by dialects. Chaucer wrote in the London dialect, the most popular tongue at the time. With his poetry the London dialect became the English literary language.