English Literary History

By: Robert A. Griffin, B.A., B.Ed.

For: 12-2 English

The Britons

During the first stages of recorded history, the islands that we call The United Kingdom today, were settled by Iberians, of the Mediterranean area, and the Celts, of northern Europe. They became known as the Britons.

•The early Celts were the dominant tribe

•The Celtic culture and language prevailed.

•The Celts were invaded twice by Rome.

•First lead by Julius Caesar, the Romans were defeated.

The Roman Period

A.D.43-410

ROMAN ERA: A.D. 43-410

The fair-haired Celts defeated the first Roman invasion led by Julius Caesar, 50 B.C.

Julius Caesar wrote: “They began by driving their chariots all over the field, hurling javelins, the terror inspired by the horses and the noise of the wheels was enough to throw the enemy ranks into disorder.”

Caesar came back one year later with a huge army. He defeated the Britons, but left without establishing aRoman Province.

Roman Era: A.D. 43- A.D. 410 In A.D. 43, Emperor

Claudius made the land of the Britons a Roman Province.

One Briton, Caractacus, led a resistance movement for nine years, but he was eventually captured, and taken to Rome.

Impressed by Caractacus, Claudius made him a free man to live in Rome.

•The Romans established an excellent highway system•They also set up Roman government and laws.

Fall of the Roman Empire...

The Roman Empire weakened over time Even in Britain, the Picts from the north,

Scots from Ireland, and Saxons from the North Sea pressed in on the Roman empire.

In 410, the Roman empire fell, when the savage Goths of northern Germany swept through Italy and marched into Rome.

Anglo-Saxon Period

A.D. 449-1066

Anglo-Saxon Period: 449-1066

The first permanent settlement of invaders came in A.D. 449.

The Angles received their name for the old Saxon word angul, meaning hook, associated with fishing.

The Saxon name comes from seax or sax, meaning sword.

Anglo-Saxon Period: 449-1066

The literature of a people springs directly out of its life, and the stern barbarous life of the Saxon forefathers produced great epics such as Beowulf.

Beowulf, written A.D. 700

Beowulf is the best example we have of Anglo-Saxon Literature

Author of Beowulf is unknown The line of the poem is written in caesura, a

broken line, tied together with alliteration “Then the fiend found a worthy foeman.

Never had he harder hand-grip Met in a match from any man.”

Beowulf:Almost Lost 1731

The poem itself was written about A.D. 700 The only surviving manuscript for Beowulf,

written about A.D. 1000, was almost lost. In 1731, while lodged at Ashburnam House in

London, a fire broke out that scorched the edges of the manuscript.

Between 1860-70, the manuscript was preserved. Two copies of the manuscript were previously taken, saving some words.

Shorter Poems of Anglo-Saxons

Five shorter poems of the period have been found that would have been sung by the minstrels or scops of the day. The first two describe the minstral’s life:

Widsith: means wide goer, possibly the oldest poem in English. These song writers were the first to earn a living, though meager, on poetry.

Deor’s Lament: tells of the hard life of a scop who has fallen out of favor.

Shorter Poems of the Anglo-Saxons

Seafarer: allegory of the trials of the sailor and those of life.

Fight at Finnsburg: 50 lines remain of this war song. Hnaef defending against the Finn and his army.

Waldere: Germanic story on two leaves, shows a glimpse of the saga of Walter of Aquataine and Hildgund’s escape from Attila with great treasure, fighting Gunther and Hagen. Waldere is evidence the

Anglo-Saxons were familiar with Germanic literature.

Christian Writers of the Anglo-Saxon Period

Two great schools of Christian influence came to England, putting an end to the wars of petty kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxons.

Augustine came from Rome, spreading the message of the Church to southern and central England, especially in the kingdom of Essex.

These Christian Monks, nor those they taught, produced no lasting literature.

Adian Leads Monks From Ireland

The monks of Ireland under the leadership of the saintly Adian, came to the west coast of England, to work in Northumbria, building monasteries at Jarrow and Whitby.

The Christian Writers of the Anglo-Saxons

The three great names coming from this movement are:

. .

Bede: (673-735) at Jarrow Caedmon: 7th century, at Whitby Cynewulf: 8th century

The Venerable Bede (A.D.673-735)

The Venerable Bede is the Father of English Learning

He wrote mostly in Latin His most important work is

Ecclesiastical History of the English People

Gospel of St. John was translated into Anglo-Saxon, but the work has since been lost.

Caedmon: Anglo-Saxon Milton

What we know of Caedmon comes from Bede’s account of Abbess Hilda and her monastery at Whitby.

His greatest work is Paraphrase--the story of Genesis, Exodus and a part of Daniel.

A work attributed to Caedmon or at least his school is Judith.

Caedmon, 7th century

Caedmon came to work at the Abby as a labourer. In the evening the monks would sing songs and recite poetry around the supper table. Bede writes, Caedmon left the table ashamed at his lack of learning. That night, he had a vision, who told him he could sing. The next morning, he told Hilde, who told him he had been given a gift. He was accepted into the order as a monk, and educated in the teaching of the church.

CYNEWULF

Little is known about CYNEWULF. In his work, he suggests he lived to be old

and a burden. Some scholars believe that the uppercase

letters may be an acronym. The “Dream of the Rood” and “Elene” are

attributed to CYNEWULF.

Vikings Invade: Much Lost

During the 600’s and 700’s, many invaders over ran England, destroying the literature of the land as they went. In 800, King Alfred of the Northern part of England pushed the invaders back. His goal was to restore the literature of the land.

Although Alfred was the fifth in line to the throne from his father, his elder brothers died or were killed. At the age of 21, Alfred became king. Through battles, peace treaties, and fortified villages he brought peace to the land.

Alfred the Great: reigned 871-899

One of Alfred’s first tasks was to translate Bede’s Ecclesiastical History of the English People from Latin to English.

Alfred was patron to the English or Anglo-Saxon Chronicles. It begins with the Caesar’s Conquest, goes 100 years beyond William the Conqueror.Alfred the Great: Royal Collection by

George Virtue (1648-1756)

Anglo-Saxon Decline

After Alfred there were no great leaders or writers in the country.

A national life and a national literature were not to be until the Norman Conquest of 1066.

The Last Anglo-Saxon was King Harold, who was given the crown by Edward the Confessor.