Literature of the Medieval Period

The Medieval Period, lasting from 1066-1485, saw the emergence of literature in the British Isles. Although there are records of earlier writings—the most prominent of which is the classic epic Beowulf—literature and writing did not become truly popular until this time period.
One of the most distinguishing characteristics of medieval literature is the setting. Most classic pieces of medieval literature are set in a world much unlike the one that the writers lived in. These fantasy realms were often perfect lands—with chivalrous knights, beautiful damsels, and magical powers. There were many popular characters which appeared and reappeared, including the ever-popular King Arthur. Arthurian and other fantasy tales were commonplace in medieval literature, when people wanted to forget the very real horrors of everyday life. With an extremely poor lower class, few sanitation laws, and diseases like the Black Death running rampant throughout villages and countrysides, tales such...