Serfs Essay, Research Paper

SerfsThesis Statement- Although as a low class, serfs played a big part in the Roman society.”I should rather labor as anothers serf, in the home of a man without fortune, one whose livelihood was meager than rule all the departed dead” is basically how people feel of being a serf. That is of how that man who quote that felt. But some would rather have serfs like in Alfred Bunn’s quote “I dreamt that I dwelt in marble halls, with vassels and serfs at my side”As you may tell serfs is not something you want to be. As a young child you are not given the choice of what you are and what you’ll be especially in the middle ages. You were born with luck or no luck, but it would always be your choice to earn another place in society, but usually, once a serf always a serf. A serf is a member of the class of peasants who were bound to the land of their lord. Serfs contained a position between slaves and independent freeman like peasants and merchants. The higher people include peasants, merchants, priests, squires, knights, bishops, lords and ladies, and royalties like Kings and Queens. But like in my thesis statement, although low class they are considered the backbone of society. You see, if they stopped working on the governments land and stopped producing the foods, then the government would have no food and the common people would have no food. Therefore complete chaos, the government could never run without food and since people would look elsewhere for food they would have little control over the people. Serfs unlike slaves could not be sold, but only transferred with the property that he is attached to. Serfs could not marry either, change their occupation either. They couldn’t even move without the lords position. To pay for working a lord’s land, the serf was required to deliver a portion of his produce to the lord and had to use the lord’s grain milk and other facilities. Also the serf would end up doing projects for the city and government like working on roads and bridges and on the lord’s acreage. Although serf in Latin means slave, they are not considered as a slave because they can not be sold but they are basically known as a slave because they work on other peoples property and are poor. And also even though they are known to be bound to the lord’s property, but by custom, they enjoy certain rights of which could not be justly deprived. A serf in his work contain a crude house, the adjoining plot of land, a share of the surrounding fields, and a few animals. The crop they grow, some is given to the lord as sort of a rent. And the serf was obligated to his work on the lord’s land always and made special payments to his lord. The serfs would work as long as the lord made him or her, it would mostly be until his work for the day on growing the crops or harvesting them, whatever was set up to be done or what needed to be done. Each season though, they would have to work harder or less depending on which crops would grow when and how much they would have to do to help grow the crops.

The lord would come to see how the crops are doing and to make sure the serf is always on task, but the serf would always deliver the payment to his lord. They have other people or the lord himself to make sure we are obeying them and the government. So in order to keep them happy a serf must do as they say to please them. Serfs did not have much of a social life, because they mostly worked all day and lived on the lord’s land, and could never marry, these restrictions gave them not a good social life. Another job that the serfs had was when the town was being attacked the serfs would have to defend the town (with help by knights and other classmen) and usually would have no weapons than their very own appliances for the land. They would attack with rakes and other land equipment like even animals like bulls, and horses. But not all serfs were farmers, they might have another special job for the lord or the lady, like a jester. A jester would put on a show to suprise or even humor the lord or lady. Minstrels and musicians were also some jobs that amused and relaxed the lord and lady. Serfs did have beliefs and values, everyone has a value atleast, as a very poor family, they would have an object that they would value atleast. They also believed in god, they prayed and worshipped him. They are the common people so they go to church and worship god. The Priest teaches the common people (serfs and all other classmen). Children are mostly educated at the land and mostly just work on the fields. The children should go to a school but since the serf cannot afford even having a child then to even have him at school which if a serf had children even though they may not marry the sibling should be put to school to support the family by getting a good job and become a merchant and own land. Since there are no wives, they may have girlfriends and friends like that that do not have to obey the guy, they are equal working for the lord. In later times the serfs began to escape to other towns. Others rose and revolted against their lords. In other ways the landlords realized or just found it more profitable to pay the serf by his labor. In this process in life serfs began to gain freedom. Other serfs sold their holdings, and then left the town or estate, and then their liberty was recognized by the government law. I do give this text my copyright orders, and hereby (whatever) just you can take over on this and have your fun with it.