earlymedievalmaterial
A Frozen World
Resources:
1. The Creative Impulse by Dennis Sporre, pp. 152-218.
2. Civilisation by Sir Kenneth Clark, pp. 1-32.
3. Patterns of Civilization by Burton Beers, pp. 12-16 and 41-56.
4. Library Sources.
5. Internet Sources:
· Excellent documents at the Medieval Sourcebook: http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/sbook.html
· More Medieval materials at http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/medweb/
· A superb reference source is The Labyrinth at http://labyrinth.georgetown.edu/
· Medieval literature can be found at the Medieval and Classical Library at http://omacl.org/
· Read the Beowulf text and additional resources at http://www.humanities.mcmaster.ca/~beowulf/main.html
· Read the Song of Roland at http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/OMACL/Roland/
Media:
1. Civilisation; A Frozen World. **Note: The filmstrip series that we are using
summarizes material from Clark’s book and a video series that is available at local libraries. Those with time should consider watching these as well.
2. Episode 17 of The Western Tradition. The Dark Ages episode. Access this on the Internet at http://www.learner.org/resources/series58.html#
Suggested Time:
Four periods.
Evaluation:
Introduction 10; Research 10; Art Analysis 10; Floorplan & Interior section or view 10. Total: 40
Activities:
These should be handled as in previous sections. Content in this section is based primarily on the filmstrip, which summarizes the material in Clark’s first chapter of Civilization. Additional activities require that you refer to the indicated pages in Sporre and related library sources.
Introduction:
1. Who were the barbarians? How did they come to dominate Western Europe?
2. What role did the Christian Church play in preserving knowledge and learning in early Medieval Europe?
Watch the filmstrip and answer the following questions while doing so.
Discuss your answers with classmates before writing your final responses.
1. Why does Sir Kenneth Clark suggest that Greek and Roman art, such as the APOLLO BELVEDERE, is superior to the art produced by the barbarian tribes?
2. According to Clark, what brought the collapse of the Roman Empire?
3. What effect did the barbarian conquest have on the classical world?
4. How did a militarized society develop during the Middle Ages?
5. Where did spiritual and cultural leadership come from between the 6th & 8th centuries?
6. Early in the filmstrip, John Ruskin is quoted: “Great nations write their autobiographies in three manuscripts: the book of their deeds, the book of their words, and the book of their art. Not one of these books can be understood unless we read the two others, but of the three, the only trustworthy one is the last.” What does Ruskin mean and is this so?
Research: (Refer to Sporre, pp. 187-201 and library sources)
1. How did the art of the barbarians differ from the classical art of the Greeks and Romans? Refer to forms, styles and content. Be sure to refer to Celtic design in answering this question.
2. Complete an art work analysis sheet for the GERO CRUCIFIX (Sporre, p. 190 or Clark, bw picture No. 203.
3. Who was Saint Jerome (Sporre, p. 192) and what is his contribution to Western Literature?
4. Read a selection from either BEOWULF or THE SONG OF ROLAND (Sporre pp. 192-194). How are the characters portrayed? How might troubadours (also known as minnesanger or trouveres) have presented such works to a Medieval audience?
6. What is Charlemagne’s church (Sporre, p. 198 & 207-208, Clark, pp. 22-23) at Aachen (Aix-la-Chapelle) modeled on? Describe its appearance.
7. Draw or trace a floorplan and an interior section or interior view of this church.
8. What was the Carolingian Renaissance (Sporre, 202-209 and Clark, 18-24) and what was its outstanding achievements? Why did it not last very long?