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English literature

English literature

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English literature

Anglo-Saxon History and Old English Language and LiteraturePre-Historical 1066 A.D.

English PeriodsPre- history (Celts) 400BC Roman Empire up to 43 BC-400 AD Old English (450-1066 A.D.) Middle English (1066-1500 A.D.) Modern English (1500-present days)

Pre-Historical / Pre-RomanThe island we know as England was occupied by a race of people called the Celts. One of the tribes was called they Brythons or BritonsThe Celts were Pagans and their religion was know as animism a Latin word for spirit. Celts saw spirits everywhereTheologians (priests); their role was to go between the gods and the people

Roman OccupationHadrians Wall

Important Events During Roman OccupationJulius Caesar begins invasion/occupation in 55 B.C.Occupation completed by Claudius in 1st cent. A.D.Hadrians Wall built about 122 A.D.Romans leave in 410 A.D. because Visigoths attack Rome

Important Cultural and Historical Results of the Roman OccupationMilitarystrong armed forces (legions)Pushed Celts into Wales and IrelandRomes greatest gift to Britain was peace InfrastructureGovernment (fell apart when they left)Walls, villas, public baths (some remains still exist)Language and WritingLatin was official language ReligionChristianity

Important Events in the (First) Anglo-Saxon Period410- 450 Angles and Saxons invade from Baltic shores of Germany, and the Jutes invade from the

Viking Invasions 787-1066

Important Results of the Viking InvasionsPolitically and CulturallyContinued political instability and conflict

Linguistically (The English Language at its Earliest)Old English is mainly Germanic in grammar and lexicon (words)

LOTS of dialects of Old-English, as one might imagine. This is because there were several separate Kingdoms many founded by essentially five or six different cultures: Angles, Saxons, Frisians, Jutes, Danes, and Swedes

A Short History of English Language

Quick History of English LanguageOld English (OE) dates from approximately* 400 A.D. to 1066They are quite different to the eye and ear. Old English is nearly impossible to read or understand without studying it much like and English speaker today would study French, Latin, or ChineseA perfect example of the old English is BEOWULF

Poets of the Old English LiteratureOnly four English poets are known 1. Caedman2. Cynewulf (s poems are religious, wrote 4 poems Jaliana, The Fates of the Apostles, Christ and Elene) 3. Alfred Great 4. Bede

Themes of Old English poetry

1. Heroic poetry

Themes of Old English poetry

2. Elegiac poetry

Themes of Old English poetry

r3.Riddle

Themes of Old English poetry

4. Classical and Latin poetry

Themes of Old English poetry

5. Christian poetry

Themes of Old English poetry - Heroic poetry-Elegiac poetry-Riddles -Classical and Latin poetry-Christian poetry [ saints lives, Biblical paraphrases and Original Christian poems]

Characteristics of Old English poetry Old English poetry has no rhymeEach half-line is joined to other by ALLETRATIONe.g. Care / cut fire/ fight Thins are described indirectly and in combination of words. e.g. Ship= sea traveler sailor = sea soldier or seaman sea = waves or ocean-way

Most interesting piece of the OELBeewolfGenesis ExodusChrist and Satan Andereas Guthlac The Dream of the Road The Battle of Maldon The Husbands Message (lyric)Deors Complant (lyric)The Wanderer (lyric)The Wifes complaint (lyric)

Old English Text Oft him an-haga are gebideMetodes mildse eah-e he mod-cearigGeond lagu-lade lange scoldeHreran mid handum hrim-cealde sWadan wrc-lastas. Wyrd bi ful ard.Swa cw eard-stapa earfoa gemyndigWrara wael-sleahta wine-maga hryre.Oft ic scolde ana uhtna gehwelceMine ceare cwian nis nu cwicra nane ic him mod-sefan minne durreSweotule asecgan. Ic to soe watt bi on eorle indryhten eawt he his ferh-locan fste bindeHealde his hord-cofan hycge swa he wille.

Another Way of Looking at the History of EnglishOld English400-1066 Beowulf (from Beowulf!)Ga a wyrd swa hio scel (OE)=Fate goes ever as it must (MnE)

OE=Old English MnE=Modern English

Old English: Beowulf

Most interesting piece of the OELGenesis B It is shorter and concerned with the begging of the world and the fall of angel ( angels servants of God in heaven & Satan and other angels disobeyed God became devils servants in Heal.

Most interesting piece of the OEL Guthlac It is written in two parts.Guthlac is a holy man