| Papers [1-16] of 100 :: [Page 1 of 7] | | Go to page : 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 —> | Search results on "MEDIEVAL VERSE": |
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Medieval Verse, 2004.
A comparative analysis of "The Lais of Marie de France" and "The Song of Roland".
1,275 words (approx. 5.1 pages), 2 sources, MLA, AU$ 63.95
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Abstract
This paper examines how both "The Lais of Marie de France" and "The Song of Roland" are early works of medieval verse, one French and one English, and how both are stories that depict an area of history now lost to most readers. In particular, it looks at how there the similarities between the two tales seem to effectively end, stylistically and thematically. "The Song of Roland" is an epic tale of the reign of the Great Emperor Charlemagne, and therefore has its basis in an historical and national French reality. In contrast, it looks at how the "Lais" are short stories that are relatively self-enclosed and historical in style. If they are set in history, it is the history of fairy tales once upon a time, not in any specific battle or date.
From the Paper
"In contrast, The Lais of Marie de France revolve around mythological and religious tales that are significant thematically, in terms of what they say about Early French cultural values, rather than the historical personages they revolve around. Rather than a historical reality or tale known by all listeners and readers, the Lais evolve from the character development. Some of the most striking aspects about The Lais of Marie de France, even to a modern reader, are how these narrative works of poetry so intensely personal, in the ways that they revolve around the theme of courtly love. Yet these poetic expressions are nationalistic, albeit not the same way that The Song of Roland is."
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Medieval Societies, 2005.
This paper discusses some works of medieval literature that focus on medieval warrior societies.
1,800 words (approx. 7.2 pages), 5 sources, MLA, AU$ 92.95
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Abstract
This paper studies Chretien De Troyes "Arthurian Romances", Seamus Heaney's "Beowulf" and other medieval literature that focus on medieval warrior societies, particularly concepts of heroism, ethics and spirituality as illustrated in the works.
From the Paper
"Medieval societies during the era of Beowulf and the Arthurian Romances were undergoing transformation from pagan illiterate societieswhere codes of conduct governed social relations and together with reason brought happiness. The warrior societies described in Chretien de Troyes' "Arthurian Romances" and Seamus Heaney's "Beowulf" along with other literature of the medieval era, show the ideals of reason and code of conduct as the foundation of human happiness. The character of Beowulf clearly expresses this ideal."
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"Make it New!": Free Verse in American Literature, 2008.
An exploration from a personal viewpoint of the beginnings of free verse in American literature and its perfect fit to modern life.
3,965 words (approx. 15.9 pages), 15 sources, MLA, AU$ 156.95
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Abstract
This paper describes the writer's personal journey in search of the origins and nature of free verse. In search of a definition of free verse, the writer finds that the only requirement agreed upon is that it lack a formal pattern of meter. Its origins go back at least as far as Homer and other Greek writers, who frequently diverged from regular patterns of meter and rhyme in their writings. The writer examines the social, cultural, technological, and political issues that caused free verse to take off in popularity and give life to the first two major poetic movements of 20th century America: Modernism and its sub-movement, Imagism. The writer draws parallels between free verse and modern life and concludes that this study brought about the realization that free verse is anything but free and the writing of it is far more challenging than the writer had first imagined.
Outline
Introduction
What is Free Verse?
Leaves of Grass, King James, and the French Connection
Free Verse Comes Back to America
Conclusions
What I Thought I Knew and How My Opinions Have Changed
From the Paper
"Before starting this investigation I, like many others I suspect, assumed that free verse naturally had its beginnings solely in America. That it was a product of our rebellious national psyche that manifested itself in the form of a new movement in poetry; one that broke loose from the old traditions and tempos of lyrical writing. It appears however, that once again I was mistaken. Well, not so much mistaken, but rather I was shortsighted. For free verse has gone through several reincarnations spanning centuries and continents. The final re-birth being the one that took place in America in the early 20th century which resulted in free verse as we know it today."
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Outsiders of the Medieval Imagination, 2001.
A discussion of Medieval spirituality and imagination that guided Medieval people's belief system and differentiated between conformer and non-conformer.
5,055 words (approx. 20.2 pages), 7 sources, AU$ 185.95
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Abstract
A look at the Medieval imagination. The author discusses the idea of spirituality of the Medieval people that considered outsiders as non-conformists, or people that were viewed as sub-human (people with abnormalities etc.) and used the imagination to differentiate between the real and the spiritual world.
From the Paper
"The idea of an outsider is present in all medieval works, this is a society of conformists and those non-conformists were all looked upon as outsiders; but what about the idea of outsiders that come not from the community but from another invisible world altogether. The idea of monsters have existed from ancient times, and even to the modern day with bogey men, but in the middle ages we find a plethora of monsters of all shapes and sizes. One need only look in the elaborately illuminated bestiaries of the medieval period to discover creatures from every realm of the imagination, from the saintly unicorn to the demonic dragon. These creatures, widely influenced by pagan mythology but with their own Christian twists, served an important part of the concept of the medieval persons concept of otherness. If the limit of otherness was not defined by only the human spectrum there was no limit to the amount of difference that a medieval person could differentiate between themselves and those seen as sub-human, such as Jews, heretics, and lepers."
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Italian Cities in Medieval Europe, 2002.
This paper examines why Italian cities in medieval times developed at a faster rate than other European cities, becoming the richest in medieval Europe, possibly the world.
1,354 words (approx. 5.4 pages), 8 sources, APA, AU$ 66.95
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Abstract
This paper looks at the reasons behind the huge development of medieval Italian cities in relation to the rest of Europe. These factors include: Their superior organization, military history, geographical advantages in terms of trade and commerce and the unique form of government dividing the country into city states.
From the Paper
"Medieval times saw an expansion in city life all across Europe, but nowhere more so than in Italy. As early as the tenth century, Italian towns, though still inferior to those in the East, had become far larger than those in other Catholic European countries. From 1100-1250, the population of many Italian cities grew considerably, rising from around 5,000-6,000 people to between 30,000-40,000. This was because of a number of factors, most notably the commercial revolution and explosion of trade, which Italy was in a unique position to exploit, due, among other things, to her history and geographical location."
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"Medieval Women" by Eileen Power, 2001.
This paper reviews the book, "Medieval Women" by Eileen Power, which pieces together the often-fragmented histories of medieval women using a variety of primary sources.
750 words (approx. 3.0 pages), 1 source, AU$ 38.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that, according to Eileen Power in ?Medieval Women?, early social notions regarding the nature of women and their role in society were created by the two most powerful classes of the age, the Church and the aristocracy, and only later were modified slightly by the urban middle class, which rose to prominence in the later Middle Ages. The author points out that, in the area of home and marriage, Power uses letters, wills, and household inventories to support her depiction of women. The paper relates that, because the proportion of women to men was greater within the noble ranks, many women were unable to wed; therefore, for them, monasticism was the only alternative to marriage.
From the Paper
"A considerable portion of the book is spent discussing various facets of the medieval lady?s life and when the bourgeois and peasants are discussed she often presents them in contrast to the noble woman. Many accounts of medieval women nobility often present only one view of their experience, depicting either a fanciful and luxurious life or the bleakness of being regarded as chattel. Fortunately Power draws from the writings of Christine De Pisan, one of the rare women of the Middle Ages to earn a living solely through her writing, to address the way in which the romanticized chivalry of the age overshadows the reality of their existence."
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Medieval Towns: Crafts and Guilds, 2005.
A review of an article by Gervase Rosser about the economic and work culture dynamics of medieval communities.
2,373 words (approx. 9.5 pages), 6 sources, MLA, AU$ 105.95
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Abstract
This paper reviews Rosser's article about how medieval crafts and guilds functioned in a society in medieval England. The paper also talks about Rosser's effort to rebut many of the generalizations, myths, and factually incorrect views that are currently or previously held by scholars and historians of the medieval era.
The Emergence of Guilds and Their Impact on Workers and the Economy
The Rise of the Guilds in Social Power and Community Prominence
Were Guilds the Historical Framework for the Genesis and Evolution of Formal Organizations?
The Decline of the Crafts and Guilds
Weird Things about Medieval English Life and Times
Biographical Sketch of Gervase Rosser
From the Paper
"Rosser goes to enormous lengths to make clear why he is explaining the misconceptions and misunderstandings with reference to how life in the working world of Medieval England really took place. Rosser is a writer of obvious skill when it comes to deep scholarly thinking; he is a writer who more often than not takes the intellectual high road. But Rosser also apparently realizes that the reader may not be able to climb every step of the way with him on his scholarly ascent, so he takes brief moments to define his terms in more lay-friendly language."
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Medieval Art and Architecture, 2004.
An analysis of medieval art and architecture.
1,526 words (approx. 6.1 pages), 5 sources, MLA, AU$ 73.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses the notion that architects and artists working in medieval Europe borrowed ideas from all the cultures surrounding the Mediterranean or coming across the central European mountain ranges. The paper presents examples of this cross-culturalism, with a focus on Islam being the most influential of the cultural donors to medieval art and architecture. The paper contends that, although these examples do not definitively trace any single aspect of Islam into Western ecclesiastical art, they do serve as an indication that it is impossible to consider any medieval art, no matter how isolated we think Europe of the Middle Ages must have been, without considering the very substantial trade, not to mention wars and incursions, that made the traditions of one culture available to the others.
From the Paper
"In addition, the precursors of Islamic art and architecture?elements that continued to inform their vision throughout their expansion into Spain and later, via their export to ?corporate? Europe by returning Crusaders?cannot be surgically removed from any consideration of so-called Islamic influences on medieval European art and architecture. Rather, they must be viewed as a substrate that upheld the Islamic vision by virtue of continuous adherence in the society in which Islam was born, and therefore as an unbroken line into the monastic traditions of medieval Europe. It was, moreover, the monastic tradition that formed the bedrock on which all other medieval art and architecture achievements were based; the monasteries were the repositories, after all, of the learning that would otherwise have been lost."
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Medieval Philosophy, 2002.
This paper discusses Scholasticism and medieval culture.
1,170 words (approx. 4.7 pages), 5 sources, MLA, AU$ 59.95
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Abstract
This paper examines 11th and 12th century Scholasticism and the role it played in medieval culture. The author focuses on understanding scholasticism, scholasticism influences. Discusses the beginnings of scholasticism, the medieval cosmology, question of the universal, the "Book of Sentences", the translation of the work of Aristotle, and major philosophers of the medieval period.
From the Paper
"In the Middle Ages, there was a philosophy and theology of Western Christendom known scholasticism (scholasticism, 1993). Almost any accomplished philosopher at this time was also a theologian. This was evident in the way they included theological writings in many of their philosophies. Although the Middle Ages had several scholastic philosophies, the basis of ?all scholastic thought was the conjunction of faith and reason (scholasticism, 1993).? The greatest philosophers were able to rationalize and understand faith by the use of reason. Through this reasoning, philosophies not related to theology were developed and taught by these ?medieval thinkers (scholasticism, 1993).?"
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Medieval Romantic Literature, 2004.
An exploration of the element of the medieval in Keats, Tennyson, Carlyle and Ruskin.
3,653 words (approx. 14.6 pages), 10 sources, MLA, AU$ 147.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses the literary works of Keats, Tennyson, Carlyle and Ruskin, focusing on the medieval element in their works. The paper analyzes how John Keats and Alfred Tennyson captured the essence of the medieval in their work, returning to a time that was simpler but just as exotic. The paper presents Thomas Carlyle and John Ruskin, who also refer to medieval aspects of society to enhance and emphasize their messages about society. The paper contends that these writers build on themes that are familiar to us, explaining that their references allow us to make connections that might otherwise be lost in the barrage of descriptions.
From the Paper
"The notion of the medieval romance has inspired literature for generations. The magic of the Arthurian romance can be traced to Celtic origins, which adds to it appeal when we look at it through the prism of post-medieval literature. The revival of the medieval romance can be viewed as an opposition against modern and intellectual movement that became vogue in modern Europe. These romances often emphasized the human emotions rather than the human intellect and a return to more classical traditions. Poets and writers in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries did not want to feel the oppression from the constraints of their time. Instead, they looked beyond the intellectual to a more mystical and emotional realm. They wanted to achieve another level in their writing--one that allowed them to stretch their imaginations and their knowledge. The medieval aspects that we find in literature from this era accentuates a different type of thinking and writing that desired to be different yet familiar."
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Medieval Weapons, 2002.
A discussion of medieval weaponry during the period of approximately 480-1487 A.D.
1,876 words (approx. 7.5 pages), 7 sources, MLA, AU$ 88.95
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Abstract
This paper looks at the most common types of weapons used in combat by medieval fighters from 480-1487 A.D. It evaluates what they were made of, their uses, how deadly they were in combat as well as different tactics used in battle at the time. Medieval weapons served two important purposes. Some of them, such as armor and shields, existed to protect the wearer, others existed solely to do bodily harm and were extremely deadly. Razor sharp swords could slice a man in halfor sever a limb whereas arrows could kill, mutilate or set wooden buildings and thatched roofs on fire in an instant. Lances could kill a man, or remove him from his horse for the foot soldiers to deal with. Siege weapons could lay utter waste to a town ? decimating the people within. Medieval weapons were created to cause havoc and they did. They were early weapons of destruction and they served their purpose well.
From the Paper
"The hauberk was central to the armour a knight wore. It was usually knee length, and slit on the front and back to allow the rider to sit on a horse. It would be worn over a padded undergarment. This mailshirt weighed about 25 pounds. There was also a hood made of similar material worn underneath the mail helmet. Later in the twelfth century, a type of mail mitten was developed to protect the hands, and a long "surcoat" or "coat armour" was added over the mailshirt for additional protection, especially from the hot sun. Chausses, or mail leggings were also added, and developments in the thirteenth century led to the "great helm" a large helmet with a flat top protecting the head and some of the neck."
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"Medieval Stereotypes and Modern Antisemitism", 2005.
A review of the book "Medieval Stereotypes and Modern Antisemitism" by Robert Chazan.
1,125 words (approx. 4.5 pages), 1 source, AU$ 64.95
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Abstract
This paper examines how in "Medieval Stereotypes and Modern Antisemitism", Robert Chazan addresses the complexities of modern antisemitism within a broader historical context. It looks at how he notes in his introduction, that critical analyses of antisemitism and anti Judaism in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries confidently rooted these prejudices within the complex political and religious relations of medieval Christian Europe. However the Nazi Holocaust of the twentieth century compelled a radical revision of these earlier assumptions with many commentators arguing that modern antisemitism must be dissociated from the anti Judaism of medieval Europe.
From the Paper
"In Medieval Stereotypes and Modern Antisemitism Robert Chazan addresses the complexities of modern antisemitism within a broader historical context. As he notes in his introduction, critical analyses of antisemitism and anti-Judaism in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries had confidently rooted these prejudices within the complex political and religious relations of medieval Christian Europe. However, the Nazi Holocaust of the twentieth century compelled a radical revision of these earlier assumptions, with many commentators arguing that modern antisemitism must be dissociated from the anti-Judaism of medieval Europe (Chazan ix-x). "
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"The Oxford Illustrated History of Medieval Europe", 2002.
A review of "The Oxford Illustrated History of Medieval Europe", edited by George Holmes.
650 words (approx. 2.6 pages), 1 source, AU$ 38.95
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Abstract
This paper is a book report on the book "The Oxford Illustrated History of Medieval Europe", edited by George Holmes and containing six essays on different aspects of the history and culture of the medieval period in the Mediterranean region and in Northern Europe.
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Crime and Punishment of the Medieval Period, 2003.
An examination of crime trends and punishment methods practiced in medieval Europe.
1,874 words (approx. 7.5 pages), 7 sources, MLA, AU$ 86.95
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Abstract
During the medieval period, order was assembled through an established, organized code called secular law, in which church and state worked hand in hand to create stability within a community. This paper explains how medieval secular law branched from a mixture of Roman and Germanic barbarian law and interwove with the Christian doctrine. This secular law had been handed down from one illiterate generation to another in the collective consciousness of the community. The possession of the right to dispense law and justice did not necessarily restrain self-interest, nor did it promote in the possessor any interest in behaving accordingly. Vengeance was often the only remedy known to secular law and was regularly enacted, often out of proportion to the original transgression.
From the Paper
"Medieval Europe has been greatly dramatized by our modern culture, celebrating and exploring these centuries with a critical sense of awe. On the one hand we now portray the Medieval era as a romantically simple time, and on the other hand as a brutish time of ignorance and cruelty. Both of these stereotypes do have some basis in fact. The Medieval period was characterized by lives that were, as Hobbes would say, ?nasty, brutish, and short,? but there was an overarching sense of sublime artistic merit to the cruelties of this period. Some of the most fascinating events of the era are in the field of crime and punishment."
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Medieval Theocracies, 2007.
This paper explores Christian and Islamic medieval theocracies.
871 words (approx. 3.5 pages), 4 sources, APA, AU$ 44.95
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Abstract
In this paper the author argues that in order to understand religion and politics during the Middle Ages, it is important to study both Christian and Islamic medieval theocracies. First, the concept of a theocracy is defined. This is followed by a description of Islamic law and religion, which are intertwined. Medieval Islam is then contrasted with Papal Christianity of the same era. Despite their differences, the author explains that Christian and Islamic theocracies shared the same concept of expansion. This is illustrated through Islamic and Christian crusades and forced conversions.
From the Paper
"Before one can appreciate the differences and similarities between medieval Christian and Islamic theocracies, one must have a thorough understanding of the mechanics of a theocratic political system. In a theocracy, "the divine power...governs an earthly human state, either in person...or, more often, via its religious institutional representative(s)..., either replacing or dominating the organs of civil government as clerical or spiritual representative(s) of god(s)." (Wikipedia Contributors). Therefore, technically the Papal States in Italy were Europe's only real example of a theocracy. (Wikipedia Contributors). Likewise, when Medina was ruled by Muhammad and Muhammad's theocracy in Mecca are considered Islam's true early theocracies. (Wikipedia Contributors). However, the reality is that, in medieval times, many countries were practical theocracies. While they were nominally ruled by monarchs or other political figures, these leaders were oftentimes so heavily influenced by religious leaders that it became impossible to separate political and religious doctrine."
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Medieval Families, 2002.
A compare and contrast analysis of the role of the family in Medieval England and in today's society.
1,245 words (approx. 5.0 pages), 3 sources, APA, AU$ 62.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses how the way the family interacted and worked as a collective unit towards a common goal has barely changed since the early signs of organized living and caring for kin. The Medieval families dealt with many different situations, but the backbone of their life still remains the same today. It examines how the basic peasant family lived and interacted, revolved around their environment and the standards of living at the time, as well as family interaction, neighborhoods and rivalries which owed to medieval culture after the dissolution of the caste system and serfs/serfdom. It concludes that the average nuclear family unit has kept the same basic principles and practices through the ages.
Times have changed with technology and several variables or factors may have changed slightly, but it is still parallel. Families have and always will be centered around a home, raising of children by parents to prepare them for the future and each generation?s effort to improve the family status one notch higher than that of their parents?.
From the Paper
"The survival of a family is largely dependent on being able to supply the basic needs (food, clothing, shelter). Although the way that these needs are supplied has changed from direct (farms, home craft) to indirect (monetary salary) sources; the concept of material environment and importance of this supply has remained the same.
?A commonplace in describing peasants is that they are bound to the ground or chained to the soil, so that is appropriate to begin a discussion of peasant families by looking at their material environment.? In the middle ages, groups of families formed villages out of their houses and fields, each village had a center of commerce and merchants, surrounded by houses and fields. Similarly today, groups of families settle around urban centers and live in surrounding suburbs."
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