Part Iii.--the Early Renaissance (_1350-1500_).

Forces at Work.--The growing social unrest following the Plague. The growth of town life and industries. The strengthening of Parliament under the Lancastrians. The decay of the religious orders and growth of Lollardy. The introduction of printing leading to a wider interest in literature.

Literary Features.--The renewal of continental influences under Chaucer. The standardisation of English. The growth of the critical spirit leading in religion to polemic and in poetry to a nearer approach to realism. The development of miracle and morality plays in connection with industries and town life. The decline of anonymity and the appearance of the first great literary figures. The growing importance of prose, and the formation of a definite style. The development of a new prosody, and the growth of allegory, ballad literature, and political songs. The rapid development in Scotch poetry.

1. POETRY.--(a) The Leaders: Chaucer. Langland. Gower. (b) English Chaucerians: Lydgate, Occleve, Hawes, and the minors. (c) Early Scots Poetry: Barbour. Blind Harry. Andrew of Wyntoun. The Chroniclers. (d) Scottish Chaucerians: James I. Henryson. Dunbar. Douglas. Kennedy. (e) Folk Poetry: Songs, ballads, political and religious verse.

2. THE DRAMA.--Development of miracle plays and moralities. The chief cycles: York, Wakefield, Chester, Coventry Newcastle, Norwich. Chief Moralities: “Castle of Perseverance,” “Mary Magdalen,” “Everyman.”

3. PROSE.--Wyclif and Trevisa, Mandeville, Pecock, Fortescue, and Capgrave. Malory, Caxton, and Berners. The “Paston Letters.”

TEST PAPER--(c. 500 to 1500).

1. The Christian poetry of the Anglo-Saxon period is generally divided into two schools. Name these, and arrange under each the chief works and writers where known.

2. What are the chief characteristics of Old English prose?

3. What effect had the Norman Conquest on English literature?

4. Name the chief poems which mark the transition stage between Old English and Modern English.

5. In what form did the romantic spirit find its outlet in Middle English literature?

6. Contrast the literary spirit of Chaucer’s age with that of the previous age.

7. Who were the chief followers of Chaucer in England and Scotland? Briefly contrast any two of them.

8. What was Caxton’s special service to English literature?

9. Write brief notes on any three of the following: “Widsith,” “Pricke of Conscience,” “Sir Gawayne,” “Gesta Romanorum,” the “Prologue to the Canterbury Tales,” “Ancren Riwle,” “Mandeville’s Travels,”.

10. Name the source and approximate date of any five of the following:

“Sumer is icumen in.”

“He was a very parfit gentil knight.”

“In a somer seson, when softe was the sonne.”

“He knew the taverns well in every toun.”

“A freedom is a nobil thing.”

“His study was but litel in the Bible.”

“For he that is trewe of his tongue, and of his two handes and doth the werken therewith, and willeth no man ille; He is a god by the gospel.”

Lesson 2 (1500-1630)