П о я с н ю в а л ь н а з а п и с к а

Lecture 5
The Theme: THE PRE-RENAISSANCE PERIOD IN ENGLAND
The Plan

1. 
   England in the 14-th century.
   
2. 
   The Literature of the 14-th century.
   
3. 
   Wiliam Langland (1332 – 1400).
   
4. 
   John Wyclif (1320 – 1384).
   

Literature
1. Аракин В.Д. Практический курс английского языка. – М.: Владос, 1998. – 536 с.
2. Abbs B. Starting Strategies. - Longman, 1977. Aston H. Streets Ahead. - Book 1. - OUP,1990.
3. Bell J. Pre-Intermediate. - Longman, 1995.
4. Black V. Fast Forward 1 .- OUP, 1986. - P. 7.
5. Hartley B. Streamline English Departures. – OUP, 1978. - P. 2 - 6.
6. Richards J. Interchange 1/-CUP, 1990. - P. 2 - 8.
7. Sinclair B. Active Your English. Pre-Intermediate. - CUP, 1995/
8. Soars L. Headway. Elementary.- OUP, 1993/
9. Swan M. The New Cambridge English Course. - CUP, 1991/
10. Vimey P. Grapevine 1 .- OUP, 1989.
11. Volosova T.D., Rogoff V.V. English Literature. – M.: Prosvescheniye, 1994. – 240 p.
THE PRE-RENAISSANCE PERIOD IN ENGLAND
England in the 14th Century. In the first half of the 14th century the Norman kings made London their residence. It became the most populous town in England. The London dialect was the central (midland) dialect, and could be understood throughout the country. It was the London dialect from which the national language developed. The burgesses (bourgeoisie) became rich through trading with Flanders (a country across the Channel that is now part of Belgium). The English shipped wool to Flanders where it was sold as raw materials. King Edward III was a powerful feudal lord. He wished to make himself king of France as well, because some provinces, such as Normandy, had once belonged to England and others had belonged to Edward's mother, a French princess. While Edward was determined to get back these provinces ,the king of France decided to seize the free towns of Flanders, which supported England, and thus deprive her of her wool-market. A collision was inevitable. The war with France began in 1337 and is now called the Hundred Years' War because it lasted over a hundred years.
England was successful at the beginning of the war and won several important battles. But the ruin of France and famine brought about a terrible disease called the Plague. It was so infectious that there was no escape from itj People affected died withm twenty-four hours. It was brouglit over to England from France. The English soldiers called it the Black Death. By the year 1348 one-third of England's population had perished. The peasants who survived were forced by drastic measures to till the land of their lords because there were not enough labourers to do the work. A law called "The Statute of Labourers was issued in 1351; it was a step back to feudalism.
As more money for the war was needed. Parliament voted for extra taxes. The "Poll Tax" particularly fanned the flame of discontent among the people ("poll" means "head"; it was a tax paid for every member of the family). But nothing made the people so angry as the rich foreign bishops of the Catholic Church who carried on their policy with little regard for the sufferings of the people.-In 1381, during the reign of Richard n, the oppressed peasants revolted. Sixty thousand people from the counties of Essex and Kent marched to London led by Wat Tyier and Jack Straw. But the rebellion was suppressed. Wat Tyier was treacherously murdered and the peasants were dispersed.