Norman literature and conquest; language situation; chief genres of Norman period literature: romances, fables, Jabliaux, Sir Thomas Malory “La Morte d’Arthur”.

In the middle of the 11^th century the internal feuds in Britain invited a foreign conquest and the Normans did not miss their chance. In 1066 William Duke of Normandy defeated the English at Hastings. In the next five years William, who had justly added the title “the Conqueror” to his name became the complete master of England and the English became an oppressed nation. As William and many of his follows couldn’t speak a word of English (they all spoke the Norman dialect of the French language), it was Norman-French that was spoken at court, in official institutions and by the ruling class. But the Anglo-Saxons dialects were not completely suppressed: common people of the country stuck to their mother-tongue. Thus, for over two centuries communication in Britain went on in three languages, strictly confined to the spheres of usage: Latin was used in monasteries and churches for religious purposes, French was the official language of the state, and common people used Anglo-Saxon in their everyday conversations. Latin has preserved its specific sacred function in the Catholic church till nowadays, but Norman-French and Anglo-Saxon eventually moulded together into one national language towards the beginning of the 14^th century.

During the Anglo-Saxon period feudal culture was its height. The medieval poets came from France with the conquerors and brought tales in verse and lyrical poems about brave and gallant knights and beautiful ladies. Many of the stories came form old French sources the language of which was known as Romanic and they were sung to the accompaniment of musical instrument such as a lute. Hence, the name of this genre – romances.

A number of romances were based on Celtic legends, especially those about King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. In the 15^th Sir Thomas Malory collected these romances and arranged them in a series of stories in prose from king Arthur’s birth to his death. this epic consisted of 21 books.

In the literature of townfolk we find the fable and the fabliau fables were short stories with animals for characters and conveying a moral, Fableux were funny metrical poems, full of indecent jokes about cunning humbugs, silly old merchants and their unfaithful wives. The literature of the town didn’t idealize characters as romances did.

As for Sir Thomas Malory’s prose book “Le Morte D’Arthur”, it is an important Middle English prose work. It’s author was an extraordinary person. Even for violent years just before and during the wars of Roses, Malory was a violent character. He was several times in prison, and it has been suggested that he wrote at least part of “Morte D’Arthur” there to pass the time.

The stories of Arthur and his knights have attracted many British and other writers. Arthur is a shadowy figure of the past, but probably really lived. Many tales gathered round him and his knights. One of the main subjects was search for the cup used by Christ at the last supper. (This cup is known as the Holy Grail). Malory’s fine prose can tell a direct story well, but can also express deep feelings in musical sentences. Here is a part of the book in modern form. King Arthur is badly wounded.

Then Sir Bedivere took the King on his back and so went with him to the water’s edge. And when they were there, close by the bank there came a little ship with many beautiful ladies in it; and among them all there was a queen and they all had black head-dresses and all wept and cried when they saw King Arthur.

Malory’s story are full of enchanting naivety, candid refinement and as if it were saying farewell to the world of legends and traditions. But this world is somewhat altered in his stories. Malory discovers a tendency to moralize, sense and practicism.