English Literature
History of English
Britannia
Different Celtic tribes lived in Briton (Britanny).
(517 BC) Language was called Brythonic (Celtic)
Britons: Celtic tribes (before Roman invasion)
Britains: Mix of Britons, Angles, Saxons and
Norse (after Romans left)
Roman Empire
The Early Middle Ages (450-1066)
Great Britain part of the Roman Empire (55 BC 450 AD)
Roman influence
Latin names: plants, animals, food, drink, household
items: win (wine), candel (candle), catte (cat).
Hadrian Wall: to protect Britain from tribes in the north
Roman roads
Town Names: Manchester (OE ceaster /Lat castrum/
camp)
Early Middle Ages
Romans left GB to defend the mainland
Britain was attacked by:
Angles(Denmark)
Saxons (Denmark)
Jutes (North Germany)
Frisians (the Netherlands)
Celts were driven off to Wales, Ireland and Scotland
Middle Ages
After the Anglo-Saxons had settled, Vikings
(from Scandinavia) invaded England
787 AD – +/- 1000 AD
Danish controlled most of eastern England.
Danelaw: area of England that was under
Danish law.
Consequences
1)Settlements with Danish names in England
- by = farm/town (Derby, Naseby)
- thorp = village (Linthorpe, althorp)
2)Increase in personal names of Scandinavian origin
3)General words entered the language
4)Personal pronoun system was affected : they,
them, their
5) ON verb to be instead of sindon
6) 3rd person singular –s
1066 Battle of Hastings
1066 Battle of Hastings: William the Conquerer
(Normandy) seized the English throne
Consequences:
English language heavily influenced by French
language of court, monastries, merchants who
crossed the channel.
Origin of English
Germanic invaders called Celts wealas (Welsh)
Celts called invaders Saxons (all of them)
End of 6th century term Angli. Aethelbert (601
AD) is called rex Anglorum (King of the
Angles).
Name of the language Englisc. (sc = sh)
Englaland (Land of the Angles) not until 1000
Germanic
English Language
Anglo-Saxon (Old English) is a Germanic
language and closely related to Frisian,
German and Dutch
e.g: Vater (G), father (E), vader (D)
Haus (G), house (E), huis (D) hus (Fris)
Old English and Dutch
Colours
rēad
grēne
brūn
hwīt
geolo
blǽw
blǽc
purpu
The Interrogative Pronouns
hwā – who
hwænne - when
hwǽt – what
hwelc – which
hwǽr – where
hū - how
hwý – why
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æcer – akker
bān – been
belīfan – blijven
binnan – binnen
bītan – bijten
blōd – bloed
brecan – breken
bremel – braam
brōþor – broer
buan – bouwen
bufan – boven
ciele – kil
cīepan – kopen
cild – kind
cirice – kerk
cnapa – knaap
cwic – kwik
cyning – koning
cyne-rīce – koningrijk dǽd – daad
dǽlen – delen
dēaþ – dood
dēofol – duivel
dēor – dier
dohtor – dochter
draca – draak
duru – deur
ēage – oog
ēare – oor
earm – arm
earn – arend
ele – olie
ende – eind
engel – engel
Engla-land – Engelandeorþe – aarde
English Language
Norse
Big influence of (old) Norse on OE language. Vikings brought
ON to England. Usually 2 words for 1 thing, somtimes OE
sometimes ON or both survived
ON egg vs OE ey
ON sister vs OE sweostor
ON silver vs OE seolfor
ON sick & OE ill
ON skill & OE craft
ON anger & OE wrath
OE path vs ON reike
OE sorrow vs ON site
English Language
Celtic
Little influence of Celtic languages  driven
away to Scotland, Wales and Ireland
English Language
Latin
During Roman invasion (but only 200 words)
Christian missionaries brought Latin to society.
Latin language of religion and learning from
monastries gradually into everyday life.
English Language
French
After 1066:Norman rule over England
Words: law, administration, medicine, art,
fashion.
Fr and OE replace words or co-exist, but develop
different meaning
house (OE) & mansion (F)
hearty (OE) & cordial (F)
Christianity
Roman England: Christians persecuted until 313
Emperor Constantine granted freedom of worship to
Christians.
Saxon England: Christianity vanished except in Cornwall
and Wales. 5th cent. Christianity spread to Ireland
and Scotland = Celtic Church
7th cent. Rome sent missionaries to England. Roman
Church started conversion in South, Celtic Church in
North
Christianity
7th century: Pope sends priests to convert GB
most kings adopt Christianity  monks,
priests and bishops play an important role in
society monastries
 Latin literature
Venerable Bede (673-735)
Bede wrote a history of the Anglo-Saxons in
Latin titled Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis
Anglorum
Growth of Christianity in England  most
valuable source for early English history
Old English literature also survives
HOMEWORK
- Read page 2 3 4 of Alquin booklet
- Make a chronological survey of ‘invasions’ of
Britain between 55 BC and 1066.
Old English Literature
OE literature : literature written in Old English
(Anglo-Saxon) from mid 5th century – 1066
Literary age began after the arrival of the
Romans. In the monastries Latin and OE texts
were written.
First texts (700 AD) were glossaries (Latin words
translated into English)
Beowulf
Oldest OE manuscript composed orally in the
8th century, written down later by 2 different
scribes.
Author is unknown.
Story takes place in 6th century
Beowulf: the story
Epic Poem: narrative poem (tells a story)
containing details of heroic deeds and events
significant to a culture or nation.
Beowulf is a Scandinavian coming to the help of
king Hrothgar (Danish) who is under attack by
a monstrous troll, Grendel at the hall of
Heorot (Hearts). Beowulf travels from
Geatland (Sweden) and kills the monster.
Beowulf: the Story
In a second fight he kills the monster’s mother.
Beowulf goes home and becomes king of the
Geats. As an old man he kills a dragon in a
fight that leads to his own death.
Alliteration
• Repetition of the same sound in the beginning of a word.
• Consonance = repeating consonant sounds.
• Assonance = repeating vowel sounds.
• The stressed syllables in the on verse usually alliterates with the
first stressed syllable of the off verse. The second stressed syllable
of the off verse does not usually alliterate.
Caesura
• An obvious pause in a line of poetry. There are two half-lines
(distichs) separated by the caesura. Each half-line has 2 stressed
syllables.
• Example: Now Beowulf bode // in the burg of the Scyldings
Kenning
• Kennings describe things indirectly often in compounds (two
nouns). People need to use their own interpretation/imagination
to find out what is meant.
• Kennings chosen for alliteration or help rhythm.
• Example: whale-road for sea , life-house for body
Exaggeration
Foreshadowing
• Makes Beowulf a more interesting, entertaining
and dramatic poem
• "The head of Grendel, with heavy toil / Four of
the
stoutest, with all their strength, / Could hardly
carry on swaying spear / Grendel's head to the
gold-decked hall."
• Presentation in a work of literature of hints and
clues that tip the reader off as to what is to come
later in the work
• Example: stories that are being told by others
foreshadow what is going to happen with
Beowulf the story of Sigemund told by the scop,
foreshadows Beowulf’s fight with the dragon; the
story of King Heremod foreshadows Beowulf’s
eventual ascendancy to kingship.
Beowulf
Not only for entertainment, showed the thanes:
• how to behave: fight for glory and fame with a
stoic acceptance of things to come
– what to wear (‘dress-code’): mail-shirt, harness,
– what values are important: courage, strength, endurance
• Christian elements changed the original meaning
(added by monks in monasteries when writing
down the stories c. 250 years later)
– Beowulf would not have succeeded, had the Lord not helped him.
The theme of the eternal battle between Forces of Light
(Beowulf) and those of Darkness (Grendel) changed into
– one of Good (God) vs Evil (the Devil)
• gives insight into Anglo-Saxon society: fame,
revenge, heroism is important; the bond with the
lord
Homework
• Find examples in the texts of the above
mentioned points (behaviour/ dress-code/
values/ Christian elements
• answer questions 1, 2, 3, (p. 10)
• which of the 2 translations do you prefer and
why?
• why has the original story been changed in the
film?
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y13cES7M
Md8&feature=related
The Late Middle Ages 1066-1500
Anglo-Saxon society under the influence of
Norman nobility.
Structure of kings and warriors dissappeared
and was succeeded by the feudal system
Nobility
Clergy
Commoners
Influence
-
Language
Literature: fables, ballads and romances
Architecture: Gothic style
Religion: Memento Mori, centred on the
mortality of Mankind
Magna Carta: 1215 King was forced to sign
contract under which the nobility were
granted certain priviliges in return for their
loyalty
Hundred Years War: England declares war on
France (1337)
Black Death: Plague
Fighting over the English crown by House of York
and House of Lancaster = War of the Roses
Richard III defeated and killed by Henry VII.
New dynasty: The Tudors (1483-1603).