20 Medieval Literature Research Paper Topics To Boost Your Interest In The Subject

Medieval literature is a challenging topic, for any student striving to read and understand a topic that is so far in the past. Today's technological world makes it quite difficult to understand a pre-internet time, not to mention a pre-Shakespearean world of literature.

What Was the Medieval Period?

The medieval period is a long-spanning period in literature that is marked as lasting from the year 500 A.D. to the 15th century AD. The medieval period is dated from the beginning of the fifth century and the fall of the Roman Empire to the Renaissance and the age called the Birth of Discovery.

Medieval literature As a Category

The category of medieval literature is a very broad one, including all works from Europe and beyond for many centuries. Therefore, one must choose a topic that is very, very narrow in order to have a manageable paper topic-- unless one wants to write a very long book. In general, the narrower the topic, the better the essay.

Some Ideas for Topics: Themes in Medieval Literature

There are several distinct themes that occur time and time again in medieval writings. They are the dangers of the seven deadly sins, the dictates of courtly love, the humors, the heavenly virtues (what one should live like), and the code of chivalry-- all medieval texts pay homage to these themes in one form or another and these would make good world history research paper topics in and of themselves.

Other Topics For Essays on Medieval Literature

1. Understanding Knights and Knighthood in Medieval Literature
2. Understanding the rules of courtly love in medieval literature
3. Understanding the move from Middle Ages to Renaissance
4. The Medieval Period: Ages of Reason/Ages of Faith
5. What were the Dark Ages
6. Chaucer's Canterbury Tales
7. What was Gilgamesh? How does it relate to Medieval Literature?
8. Poetry in the Medieval Period
9. The importance of Latin in Medieval literature
10. Religion in medieval literature
11. Writers in the Medieval Period: A General overview
12. 12th Century Medieval Literature
13. Beowulf and Our Understanding of the Medieval Period
14. Secular texts of the Medieval Period
15. French poetry and medieval literature
16. The four humors and their importance in medieval literature
17. St. Augustine and the Two Kinds of Love
18. Allegories and Medieval Literature
19. The Sin of Wrath in Medieval Literature
20. Lust in Medieval Literature