Medieval Literature

Since the dawn of civilization, man has told stories. Some were based in fact, while others were based on little more than mere whimsy coupled with the imagination of the storyteller. Often times, such stories contained a moral or lesson to be learned. Of the many time periods, few are as rich in culture and content as the medieval period. Medieval tales usually contain a few basic elements: religion (including temptation and sin), chivalry, castle …

…While none of these elements are absolutely necessary, together they define the vivid, imaginative literature of the medieval period. With the exception of mystery plays (which are often centered only around religion), most medieval literature will contain at least two of these elements. Like other generalizations, however, the four elements of medieval literature will not apply to absolutely every piece of work, but do offer a quite accurate depiction of the period?s literary repertoire.