In the Middle Ages, there were three social classes: serfs, clergy, and the noblemen. All three of these classes were treated differently by the government and had different roles in society. Serfs, the clergy, and noblemen all had different views on society.
The serfs and peasants were treated with little respect by their owners and the government because of their role in the world. Their job was to farm the land owned by the noblemen, who were also their owners. The noblemen had to treat them with some amount of respect, because if they did not then the serf’s production rate would drop (Roles and Rights of a Peasant). The serfs had no part in the government, having no political rights. Legally, they were tied to the soil that they farmed. If the serfs left the farm, they would go to a town where the opportunity to become a craftsman. After a year and one day, they would be considered a free man (Roles and Rights of a Peasant). This role as the work horse of society led to the serf’s opinion of thinking that the workload was unfair, especially for their little reward.
The clergy consisted of monks, nuns, priests, and bishops. Their daily life usually consisted of praying, going to mass, and fulfilling physical needs. There were seven masses held throughout the day that each monk had to go to. Those masses were called Lauds, Matins, Prime, Sext, Nones, Terce, Vespers, and Complines, in order of the time they were held during the day (Daily Life of a Monk in the Middle Ages). They would also rewrite the Bible and other Church documents by hand, since there was no other way of to copy writings. “She never ceased, as written do I find, to pray to God, and love Him, and to dread, beseeching Him to keep her maidenhead,” (Canterbury Tales). This text is describing how the nuns and monks lived their life for God and made the choice to not marry anyone. The clergy knew their place in society, living for God, and they chose this way of life. They enjoyed what they did because it is what they wanted to do.
The noblemen had a fairly easy way of life compared to the people in the other two social classes. They daily life consisted mainly of prayer, dealing with governmental issues, making sure everything on their manor was running smoothly, and taking care of the estate. They prayed and ate in the morning, at noon, and in the evening. Life on the manor revolved around the lord. The morning was the time at which governmental disputes and issues were resolved and taken care of. This was also when business matters were resolved. The nobleman would then partake in political debates. The afternoon consisted mainly of more recreational activities, such as hunting or hawking. Hawking is the sport of training hawks to catch other various animals. After dinner, there would be some sort of entertainment. Entertainment included music, jugglers, dancing, or jesters. The time to go to bed was determined by whenever the lord became tired (Daily Life of a Noble Lord in the Middle Ages). The noblemen and lords of the Middle Ages generally liked their role in society. Apart from the political and estate disputes, their lives were typically easy going and care free.
Each of the social classes had different jobs to do in the society. Unfortunately, the majority of the population was made up by the serfs and peasants. This means that most of the Middle Age society was unhappy with their role.
Works Cited
"Chaucer's Canterbury Tales ~ Presented by ELF." Chaucer's Canterbury Tales ~ Presented by The Electronic Literature Foundation. Web. 30 Apr. 2010.
"Daily Life of a Monk in the." Middle Ages. Web. 30 Apr. 2010.
"Daily Life of a Noble Lord in the." Middle Ages. Web. 01 May 2010.
"Roles and Rights of A Peasant." Web. 29 Apr. 2010.
"File:Costumes of Slaves or Serfs from the Sixth to the Twelfth Centuries.png." Wikimedia Commons. Web. 30 April 2010.
Nice job overall; I think you prose could use some refining. Also, the "Roles and Rights of a Peasant" is not properly sourced.
ReplyDeleteYou might also be more specific in your thesis statement: don't just say "they had different view", rather suggest WHY they had different views -- that "why" is the root of your argument.