11th British Literature Notes

British Literature

Monday, February 27th

Brief History of Britain p. 2-7

Conquered by Celts, Romans (Christianity), Anglo-Saxons (Germany), Vikings (Norse & Danish), Normans (French)

Why would this be important?

What would each new culture contribute?

Literature p. 8 - 10

Anglo-Saxon Literature

Heroic poetry - recounting the achievements of warriors (Beowulf)

Elegiac poetry - lamenting the deaths of loved ones and the loss of the past ("The Wanderer")

Beowulf - national epic of England

• First work known to have been composed in the English Language
• Written in Old English c. 1000
• Contains references to Christian ideas and Latin classics
• Values of a warrior society, especially of dignity, bravery, and prowess in battle

Latin was language of church, education, and philosophy.

French was language of administration, culture, and courtiership.

English was language of popular expression, regional dialect and personal reflection.

Important prose was all recorded in Latin until the rule of King Alfred the Great.

• Latin scholars were monks.
• Venerable Bede wrote History of the English Church and People (in Latin).
• Important because he recorded history.
• The Anglo-Saxon Chronicles also showed changes in history and language but were recorded by monks in Old English.

Geoffrey Chaucer wrote a morality play themed (Canterbury Tales).

• Middle English
• Moved literature past themes of courtly love and knightly adventure of medieval tales (romances)
• Completed only 22 of 120 tales
• Was one of the first printings on movable-type press developed in 1476 by William Caxton

King Arthur

• Sir Thomas Malory recorded tales that were legends
• Morte d' Arthur ("The Death of Arthur")

Lyric Poetry

• Secular: love & nature
• Religious: God or prayer of supplication
• Lyre (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55jnH3rqcoU&feature=related )
• Folk song that tells a story
• Robin Hood (13th century)

The Changing English Language p. 12

Old English (ca. 449-1100)

• Beowulf
• Bedd, candel, eorth, froendscipe, mann, moder, waeter

 Middle English (ca.1100-1500)

• The Canterbury Tales (Chaucer)
• Sir, madam, courtesy, honor, chivalry, dine, table, roast, court, royal
• Period of Borrowings

Modern English (ca. 1500-)

• Shakespeare

What do we still use from Old English?

• Articles, pronouns and connecting words
• Only 25%
• Original Germanic word order

Vocabulary

Caesuras - rhythmic breaks in the middle of lines, where the reciter could pause for breath

Kennings- two-word poetic renanings of people, places, and things, such as the kenning whales'home for the sea (or whale road)

Assonance - the repetition of vowel sounds in unrhymed, stressed syllables (for example, batter these ramparts)

Alliteration - the repetition of initial consonant sounds in accented syllables

Elegy - a lyric poem mourning the loss of someone or something

Original Beowulf text: