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Summary of English History and Literature
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L I T E R A T U U RNOTITIES
The Old English period
- Period prior the old English period = Romano-British rule
- Romano-British consisted of most of England and Wales and South of Scotland
- Julius Caesar had invaded England as part of his Gallic wars
- Hadrian’s Wall
- Pict in the Norths, Celts in the East
- But the Roman Empire started to fall apart, between 400-450 AD
- In Britain because it was under attack by the Celts
- Results :
Britain no longer under Imperial Protection Rome
Britain under attack from 3 Germanic tribes:
Angles : Denmark
Saxons : North German
Jutes : Denmark
They invaded Britain
Came from across the North Sea to plunder and lute, but eventually
settled on the British isles.
Another explanation for their arrival is that they were invited by King
Vortigern to defend the Romano-British from the Picts and Scots in
the north
The Old English was the language that was brought to England by the Anglo-
Saxon colonist and is strongly influenced by Old Nordic Language (Vikings)
- The invasion had results too:
The Heptarchy arises collective name applied to the seven kingdoms of
Anglo-Saxon England (petty kingdoms) from the Anglo-Saxon settlement of
Britain in the 5th century until consolidation in four kingdoms
- Old English society charatics:
- Many wars between Anglo-Saxon kings
Stories about Kings & Warriors they were the ruling class. Rich language??
Most poets are anonymous undocumented
7th century: enter Christianity and the clergy (bishops, priest, etc)
Oral tradition was important passing on stories from one generation to
the next to preserve one’s culture. Alteration was used for easier recollection
- Old English literature
Anglo- Saxon poetry elements no rhyme, wel rythme (rhyme was introduced in middle English period)
- The Old English is very different from modern English
- Alliteration occurrence of same letter sound
- Tropes is the use of figurative language
- Epic a narrative poem, that is usually about heroic deeds and events
Most important epic poem = Beowulf ( set in Scandinavia in particularly
Denmark)
Oldest European text written in the vernacular language
It is unknown who wrote it
, Only medieval copy dates from the 10th century still exist, but it is
believed that the original is from the 6 th century
Background:
o Anglo-Saxon world, not set in England, but in Scandinavia at
the time of the fifth and sixth century
o Is about kings and warriors
o These kings usually died young in battle
o Society was dominated by these lords
o Poets provided entertainment
Summary:
o Characters describes as forefathers Anglo-Saxons
o Set in home country Anglo-Saxons
o It is an epic poem main character is a hero who travels
great distances to prove his strengths at impossible odds
against super natural demons/beasts
The lines do not rhyme at end but the lines are linked with
alliteration and rhythm
o Each line : 2 halves & 2 stressed syllables
o Each line : several alliterative syllables
- End of this English period:
- Anglo-Saxon had Scandinavian heritage, language what they mixed with Romano-
British, Christian influences
- Came under attack by Scandinavian tribes
First recorded attack on Britain by Vikings (north) took place in 793 at
monastery of Lindisfarne
- Raids continued
- Up until 11th century, the Scandivians, Anglo-Saxons and Normans continued to fight
over Britain. Until William Duke of Normandy seized the throne
- Anglo-Saxon era closed
Norman period of English history began.
The Middle English Period
(1066-1500)
- Most important event: Battle of Hastings (1066)
- Normans had been arriving at end of Old English period
- Norman William the Bastard, invaded and defeated the Anglo-Saxons in the Battle of
Hastings. After the Battle William the Bastard became William the Conqueror, and he
secured the English throne.
- This had some societal consequences
- Arrival Normans (Norman conquest), the structure changed form:
Kings & Warriors – (to) > feudal system:
Society divided Medieval English 3 classes
o Nobility spoke French
o Clergy spoke Latin
o Commoners spoke English
William the Conqueror appointed Normans to key positions in
government, church, army and judiciary.
- Literary consequences
- Strong French influences
Vikings had French as daily language. French became for the royals while
English was for the ‘people’ commoners
, Old English developed and incorporated many French + Latin words. Started
to get more refined
Rhyme was introduced
Since the 14th century literary written in the language of/for ordinary people.
These literary gains more importance
Genres : fables, ballads, King Arthur stories (about knights/romances)
Most important Autor = Geoffrey Chaucer wrote The Canterbury Tales
Written between 1386-1400, Chaucer died before he could finish it
It is a framed story different stories within one bigger,
overarching tale.
Subject:
o Murdered bishop grave in canterbury
o Pilgrimage is central
the experiences of different pilgrims
24 stories from/of 24 different pilgrims
For example: wife of Bath’s tale
o also consists of 2 parts: prologue
and the tale itself:
o the 2 parts:
prologue: you meet the wife of Bath, she introduces
herself, she is one of the pilgrims
finds herself an expert in the field of
love/marriage
concept: position of woman in relation to
the man in the relationship wife should
have the control over man
the tale itself, The wife of Bath tells this story, she
isn’t talking about herself but about someone else.
She tells the story to her travel companions.
Theme: what do women want in a marriage:
o The lead person (knight) learns: ‘that
most women want sovereignty over
their men and that no one can
refute them’
Who is the wife of Bath?: the pilgrim who
tells the story!!
STUDY QUESTIONS
- End of the Middle English period
- English had taken over the language power after hundred years’ war against the
French language
- Tudor dynasty reigned
- Printing press had been invented
Books/stories printed in large scale this way more people could read it +
the stories persist (on paper)
Early Modern English period
(1500-1750)
- Most important events
- Invention printing press allowed mass printing and mass spread of ideas (like the
Bible)
- Renaissance and Humanism: motto changed from memento mori to carpe diem
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