HISTORY OF ENGLISH LITERATURE

Anglo-Saxon Period(450 1066)

Lecture 4MA EnglishCOMSATS Virtual Campus IslamabadHISTORY OF ENGLISH LITERATUREOverviewIn this class we will discuss:A brief history of early BritainWhat is Anglo-Saxon/Old English?Brief History of Anglo-SaxonsAnglo-Saxon PoetryAnglo-Saxon ProseLiterary works during the periodA brief history of early BritainThe Earliest SettlersIn ancient times Britain was inhabited by Iberians of whom little is known.The beginning of settlement in Britain took place in about 2000 1200 B. C. The early settlers were certain Celtic-speaking tribes called Britons, from whom the island got its name--Britain ( the land of Britons ).

Pre-Historical/Pre-RomanThe Celts were Pagans and their religion was known as animism a Latin word for spirit.The Britons were primitive, bronze-age people.They lived in round, wooden huts and were mainly farmersThey lived as tribes with a king or queen as their leader.A brief history of early BritainThe Earliest Settlers5Conquest: Oxford dictionary DefinitionAct of taking control of a country or city by forceIn 55 B. C. Britain was invaded by the Roman general Julius Caesar. The Britons fought bitterly against the Roman conquerors (for about 100 years) and were not completely subjugated to the Roman Empire until 78 A. D.With the Roman Conquest, the Roman mode of life and civilization came across to Britain also. The Roman Conquest6The Romans introduced their civilization and language and build towns, roads, baths and temples.For over a century they tried to conquer Caledonia, Scotland, but did not succeed. In the end King Hadrian ordered building of a wall across the north of England.The Roman Conquest ended in 410 A. D. The Roman Conquest7Established camps that eventually became towns.Maintained relative peace. Latin heavily influenced the English language.Christianity begins to replace Paganism, especially after St. Augustine converts King Aethelbert in 597.The Most Important Results of the Roman OccupationWhat is Anglo-Saxon or Old English?The earliest phase of English LiteratureAnglo and Saxons---two tribes occupied BritainEnglish----Common tongue of these tribesBefore the occupied Britain, they lived along the coasts of Sweden and DenmarkThe land which they occupied was called Engle-landThese tribes-----fearless, adventurous and braveThey sang at the feasts about battles, gods and their heroes Some of their chiefs were also bardsThrough their songs of religion------English poetry began in the ancient Engle-Land.Britain was still a Roman provinceAnglo - SaxonsFirst landed in England in the middle of 5th century and by 670 A.D. they occupied almost whole countryThe came as conquerorsThey made England their permanent homeThe became ancestors of the English raceThey ruled till 1066Harold, the last Saxon king was defeated in the battle of Hasting by William the Conqueror of Normandy, FranceBackground of Anglo Saxon LanguageBranch if Indo-European family of languagesIt has same root words for:Father and motherGod and manCommon needs and common relations of life

As we find in Sanskrit, Iranian, Greek and LatinWhat is Anglo-Saxon or Old Literature?Mush of the Anglo-Saxon poetry is lostOnly some fragments are leftPoems: Widsith describes continental courts visited in imagination by a far wandering poetThe Flight at Fibbesburg deals with the same favorite these of battle against fearful oddsComplaint of Deor describes the disappointments of a loverBeowulf----the most important poem of this periodThemes in Anglo Saxon PoetryFive great principles: Love of personal freedomResponsiveness to natureReligionLove for womanhoodStruggle for glory

All these principles are reflected in their literature.

BeowulfGreatest Germanic epic in the world of LiteratureTale of adventures of Beowulf-----the heroA champion and slayer of monstersFull of all sorts of references and allusions to great eventsTo the fortunes of kings and nations

Old English PoetryFew books were written; most of those were written in Latin, for religious purposes. What are the earliest works written in Old English? Four books of Old English poetry exist today. Stories from the Old Testament turned into Old English poetryChristian poems based on themes from the New Testament or lives of saints. An anthology of different short poemsThe fourth contains Beowulf. Badly burned in 1731; today it is carefully preserved in the British Museum, in London15BeowulfFirst page of the Beowulf manuscript

How Old English sounds:

http://www.engl.virginia.edu/OE/Beowulf.Readings/Prologue.html Old English PoetryOur ignorance about Beowulf. Was it a traditional heroic story, written down by a monk and then recopied by other monks who added a thin veneer of Christian moralizing to a basically pagan tale? Was it written by a scholar trying to create something like the great Latin epic, the Aeneid? 17IntroductionThe poem called Beowulf was composed sometime between the middle of the seventh and the end of the tenth century of the first millennium, in the language that is today called Anglo-Saxon or Old English. It is a heroic narrative, more than three thousand lines long, concerning the deeds of a Scandinavian prince, also called Beowulf, and it stands as one of the foundation works of poetry in English.- Seamus Heaney (translator, poet)

Background on Beowulf3182 linesChief literary monument of the Old English PeriodAuthor unknown - - likely composed in 8th century, by monk putting down oral tradition, with a mixture of Christian tenets (unique combo of Germanic pagan heroism + early Christian teaching/world-view)first printed in the 19th centuryBackground on BeowulfSetting: not in England, but in earlier period in Scandinavia (though it has been transformed into a uniquely English text)in the heroic age of Germanic peoples (5th and 6th centuries)hence, celebrates a past centuries old, glorified by oral traditionsBeowulf and Poetic BeginningsUse of Contrast (man-filled Heorot vs. lonely Grendel stalking among corpses)Early use of Symbolism (Beowulf hangs Grendels arm on wall: symbol of victory)Hyperbole (struggle so fierce even the mighty Heorot is threatened)21Alliteration and Beowulf The most striking feature in Beowulf is the use of alliteration.In alliterative verse, certain accented words in a line begin with the same consonant sound. examples: Of men he was the mildest and most beloved, To his kin the kindest , keenest to praise. (In modern translation)Metaphor and Beowulf Ring-giver is used for KingHearth-companions for his attendant warriorsSwans bath / whales road for seaSea-wood for ship Such metaphors occur in great numbers in this work. Anglo - Saxon period and ChristianityAfter the Anglo Saxons embraced Christianity, the poets took up religious themes as the subject matter of poetryMajor portion of Anglo Saxon poetry is religiousTwo important religious poets:

CaedmonCynewulf

CaedmonHe sang in series the whole story of the fate of manFrom creation and the Fall to the Redemption and Last Judgment CynewulfHis most important poem is the CristNarrative of leading events of Christ`s ministry upon earthChrist`s return to judgmentEnglish Prose and Anglo Saxon PeriodBegan in King Alfred` s timesAlfred`s translations from Latin a common available proseThere was no break in prose of Anglo Saxon Period and Middle English PeriodComparatively easy to understandProse based on religious instructionsTwo great pioneers of English prose:Alfred the GreatAlefric

Anglo-Saxon Prose Alfred the GreatThe glorious King of WessexTranslated a number of Latin works in English

AelfricA priestWrote sermons in a sort of poetic prose1. Bede ( the Venerable Bede)Father of English HistoryHistoria Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum (631)later translated from Latin into Anglo-Saxon by King Alfred as The Ecclesiatical History of the English People in 891covers from the Roman Invasion of Britain to AD731, 4 years before the authors deathAnglo-Saxon Prose292. King Alfreds contributions to English literature

Translations from Latin, including Bedes Historyhis free way of translation helped him to write in a natural style in English, his contribution to the development of English proselaunching the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (also known as Old English Chronicle), a historical register of national events from dim past to his own age. This work was continued by monks long after his death.30ReferencesA critical History of English Literature by Dr. MullikA critical History of English Literature by David DaichesA dictionary of Literary Terms by Martin GrayTHANK YOU