Discuss the characteristic features of feudal society, as reflected in the Song of Roland, Norman architecture, and the Bayeux Tapestry.

Question

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Answer 1

In medieval feudal times, lords provided military defense and political leadership for their territories. Vassals served these lords in times of battle and received land properties in exchange. In the noble class, a man was first and foremost a mounted man-at-arms-a chevalier or knight. The knight's conduct and manners in all aspects of life were guided by a strict code of behavior called chivalry. Chivalry demanded that the knight be courageous in battle, loyal to his lord and fellow warriors, and reverent toward women.

The ideals of the knight in the feudal age are well captured in the French epic poem, the Song of Roland. Its rugged Old French verse describes a culture that prized the performance of heroic deeds that brought honor to the warrior, his lord, and his religion. The poem brings to life such aspects of early medieval culture as the practice of naming one's battle gear and weapons (often considered sacred), the dependence on cavalry, the glorification of blood-and-thunder heroism, and the strong sense of comradeship among men-at-arms.

After Vikings settled in Normandy, they crossed the English Channel and seized the throne of England. The Bayeux Tapestry, one of the most famous Norman artifacts, serves as a visual record of this conquest. The work is epic in theme and robust in style, consisting of sweeping narratives whose episodes are irregular rather than uniform in length. Weapons and armor in both epic and embroidery are described with loving detail; the Bayeux Tapestry serves as a veritable encyclopedia of medieval battle gear: kite-shaped shields, conical iron helmets, hauberks, short bows, double-edged swords, battle axes, and lances.

The Normans brought feudalism to England, as well as their advanced knowledge in the construction of stone castles and churches. Their castles featured a keep (square tower) containing a dungeon, a main hall, and a chapel, and incorporated a central open space with workshops and storehouses. The enclosing stone walls were usually surmounted by turrets with crenellations that provided archers with protection in defensive combat. A moat (a trench usually filled with water) often surrounded the castle walls to deter enemy invasion. The brilliance of the Normans' achievements in architecture, apparent in their fortresses and churches, lies in the use of stone to replace earlier timber fortifications and in the clarity with which the form of the building reflects its function.