a. Courtly Love Literature: This literary genre emerged in the high Medieval period, focusing on romantic themes such as the chivalrous knight pining for the affections of a noble lady.
b. Epic Poetry: While religious epics were prevalent, there were also secular, heroic epics that recounted the legendary exploits of warriors and kingdoms, for example, the Anglo-Saxon epic poem Beowulf.
c. Fabliaux: Short, humorous tales told in verse gained popularity in medieval Europe. Farceaux, short, farcical plays, had similar functions of amusing audiences.
d. Satire: Medieval satirists wrote sharp criticisms of society, targeting clergy, peasants, and even the nobility.
e. Goliardic poetry: It refers to Latin literature produced by educated clerics and students from the 12th to the 13th centuries that was often irreverent toward the church and focused on themes like pleasure, drinking, gambling, and otherworldly pastimes.
f. Mystery Plays: The origins of medieval theater were deeply rooted in biblical narratives; however, they gradually began to encompass stories that addressed human experiences that fell within worldly themes.
Even though religious subjects continued to play an important role in art, and society at the time, these instances reflect the emergence of themes unrelated to Christian and theological matters.