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Summary English Literature
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Samenvatting Engels LiteratuurPre-English Days (1-450)
- In Britain, Ireland and Northern France, Celtic Tribes had settled for a while
- In Northern Europe, Germanic Tribes had settled
- The Romans were a force to be reckoned, Britain was part of the Roman Empire
In 1-450 the inhabitants of Britain (Britons) did not speak English but various Celtic languages.
Modern Welsh, Irish Gaelic and Scots Gaelic ‘survivors’ of the original language
In Northern France, Breton continues to be spoken
This was also the time when the Roman Empire was dominant. Britain was a Roman colony called
Brittannia. The language was in the Roman Empire was Latin but in Britain, the dominant languages
continued to be the Celtic Languages.
Anglo-Saxon invasions and consolidation in Britain (449 onwards)
The Old English extract from the Anglo-Saxon
Chronicle tells us that the Romans faced many
problems form attacks by various tribes.
The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle is a collection of
annals in Old English chronicling the history
of the Anglo-Saxons. This Chronicle is
unique because the rest of Europe wrote
Latin until the 12th century while the Anglo-
Saxon Chronicle was written in vernacular
(volkstaal). Without the Chronicle, it would
be impossible to write the history of the
English form the Romans to the Norman
conquest.
In 410, the last Roman legions left Britain. From about 449, the Germanic Tribes started attacking and
migrating to Britain > The Anglo-Saxons or Germanics
- St Bede (8th century historian) tells us these tribes included the Jutes and Angels (Denmark),
Saxons (northern Germany and the Netherlands).
- A fourth tribe, the Frisians, also came to Britain. Their language existed in several dialects.
The language spoken is known as Anglo-Saxon or Old English. Sometimes the term Saxon is used on
it’s own because the standard was based on the West Saxon. Latin texts used the term Angli and
Anglia to describe the country. The local writers describe their language as Englisc. The people and
land were collectively known as Angel cynn. It was not until 1000 that the name Englaland (Angles’
land) was used.
The Anglo-Saxons were united by King Alfred the Great (871-899) a standard based on the
Wessex developed
- Writing was very limited writing was only for special records
- The down-to-earth vocabulary is a reflection of the unsophisticated nature of the Anglo-
Saxons
The original Celtic tribes were chased off to the northern, western and south-western in that
places some Celtic languages survived
- Those who remained in the central areas were overwhelmed by Germanic tribes
, Scandinavian invasions (787 onwards)
The Scandinavion attacks took place between 787 ad 850. The people were known as the Vikings
(Danes, Norsemen)
- Originally they were neighbours of the
Anglo-Saxon and spoke a related
language Old Norse
o Old Norse and Old English are
cognate/related languages
The Scandinavians captured towns and cities
and settled in these places. The army of Alfred
the Great resisted for 7 years before taking
refuge in the marshes of Somerset. However,
fresh troops enabled him to attack the
Scandinavians (under Guthrum) and defeat them. Alfred and Guthrum signed the Treaty of
Wedmore in 878
- The Scandinavians settled on the east of the line (form Chester to London) this region
would be subjected to Danish law (Danelaw)
- The Danes also agreed to become Christian Guthrum was baptised
- This was not the end of the battled there were more Scandinavian attacks and England
was later ruled by Canute, the Danish king
After, the Scandinavian and English lived peacefully and there were many intermarriages. The
Scandinavians adopted English customs and the English accepted them.
- The English language also accepted Old Norse words and forms
o They, them, their
o SHIT-rule
o Anger, cake, egg, skirt etc.
Beowulf Old English epic or heroic poem
- Circa 3182 lines
- Written by an unknown monk between circa 675 and 850
- Most important Anglo-Saxon poem
Part 1:
The story is set in Denmark, where the Great Hall of king Hrothgar is terrorized by an monster
(dragon) called Grendel, who comes after the dark to seize the king’s warriors. Un to defeat Grendel,
the Danes call in the help of Beowulf, member of a Swedish clan, who arrives with a mall band of
warriors of his own to challenge the monster. After being received, Beowulf and his man stay lone in
the Hall. Grendel arrives and Beowulf fights with him. He mortally wounds the dragon by wrenching
off on of his arms with his bare hands. The next night, Grendel’s mother comes to the Hall to reclaim
her dead son’s arm. Beowulf pursues her into the lake where dragons live and after terrifying
adventures, kills the mother. He brings back Grendel’s head as a trophy and is rewarded with many
gifts form Hrothgar.
Part 2:
Back in Sweden, Beowulf becomes king of his clan and has a long and successful reign. In his old age,
a new dragon threat emerges, a fire-breathing and vengeful monster who guards a vast treasure. To
protect his land, the aged king confronts the beast and kills it, dying a hero’s death in doing so. He is
cremated and his ashes are buried, with the dragon’s treasure, beneath a great mound.
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