Medieval+Literature

Brief Description of Topic: This site contains resources to be used in my 12th grade English Literature classroom for the unit on Medieval Literature.

=Fiction:=

//Beowulf// (circa 1100 A.D.) : two translations of the classic tale of the hero Beowulf and his defeat of the monsters Grendel, Grendel's mother, and the dragon
This translation is in a more modern English format. The navigation allows you to go to specific areas of the story: [|http://www.lone-star.net/literature/beowulf/] This translation includes more of the original poetry and Old English spellings: []

Canterbury Tales (circa 1387-95): The Electronic Literature Foundation's (E.L.F.) version of Geoffrey Chaucer's //The Canterbury Tales.//
The navigation on the far left of the page allows easy access to specific parts of the //Tales: []//

//Sir Gawain and the Green Knight// (circa 1375-1400):
This is the story in its original form: This is a 1999 modern English translation:

=Games:= In order to get ready for the classroom battle, practice your aim using the Sherwood Shooter or the Castle Rescue. [|Sherwood Shooter] [|Castle Rescue]

=Movies:= [|A Knight's Tale] (c. 2001) This film contains a base of characters from Chaucer's //The Canterbury Tales// but is mixed with anachronisms from the 21st Century. The task here is to get students to pick out both the accuracies and inaccuracies in the film. They will talk about how the anachronisms either work or don't work for the success of the film for them as audience members.

Gawain and the Green Knight (c. 1975) The original production of this was produced in the 70's. It's a simple stop animation version of the story, and follows the original tale quite closely. Students will be asked to discuss the similarities and differences to the original text. In addition, they will discuss and eventually write about how they originally imagined the characters versus how the producers envisioned them. [|Gawain and the Green Knight (Part 1)] [|Gawain and the Green Knight (Part 2)] [|Gawain and the Green Knight (Part 3)]

=Nonfiction:=

[|The Time Traveler's Guide to Medieval England:] (c. 2011) This text by Ian Mortimer is a walk-through of the English countryside during the 1300's. The text includes clear descriptions of the people, laws, and even hygiene of the times. It also includes charts and other visuals for easy comprehension. TEXT COMPLEXITY: The reading level is not very complex. Students should not have a difficult time gathering information and reapplying it for class.

[|Early Medieval Architecture:] (c. 1999) This text by Roger Stalley contains full descriptions, maps, and pictures of the different types of Medieval Architecture he describes. This work contains not only religious but secular architecture. TEXT COMPLEXITY: The reading level is not complex, and the pictures and maps clarify the descriptions offered by the author.

[|Warfare in the Medieval World:] (c. 2006) This text by Brian Todd Carey includes not only the history of the weaponry used in medieval times, but also includes tactical and regional maps and war strategies of the times. TEXT COMPLEXITY: The reading level is advanced, and there is very specific vocabulary. Students will need some instruction on specific weapons vocabulary of the times, but the available maps do a wonderful job of clarifying information from the text.

=Websites:= [|Build a Medieval Castle] Although a site for younger children, this site will help my students create their medieval castle for the classroom battle getting ready to ensue. The text complexity is low, however there is a "following directions" component that makes the final product more difficult than it first appears.

[|The Medieval Church] This site (c. 2012) contains information about the churches in medieval England. It also contains links to other information for Medieval life.

[|The Legend of King Arthur] This site (c. 2012) contains information about the King Arthur legends. It contains not only different versions of the legends, but also links to various pieces of art associated with the era and the stories themselves.

[|The Medieval Era] This site (c. 2011) contains information about the life and times of the medieval peoples, including art, music, food, torture devices, weaponry, medicine, and social customs.