Background to the English Language

English Literature I

History/ The Makings of Modern Day English

About 449 AD, several large Germanic tribes, the Angles (from Denmark), Saxons (from Germany), and Jutes (from Jutland or Rhineland), traveled to the islands known as Britannia. At the time, England was not yet united and these Teutonic plunderers brought with them a Germanic-based language that would become Anglo-Saxon, or Old English.

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In 597 AD, St. Augustine arrived from Rome to spread Christianity and convert Anglo-Saxons. Clergy were literate—priests brought writing to England (writing was a result of Christianity).

Most “literature” of the time was in the Oral Tradition, or passed down by a SCOP who could memorize and recite pages and pages of poems. The Scop praised deeds of past heroes, recorded history, and provided entertainment.

With the arrival of Christianity, more writing took place (in Latin, the language of the church). The church controlled what was written down so less religious ideas were lost.

History/ The Makings of Modern Day English (cont’d)

In 827, King Egbert named Britannia Englaland, or “land of the Angles,” and the language came to be called Englisc.

In the ninth century, Norse (Norway) and Danes (Denmark) were pressured by their own populations and set out for other lands—namely, the British Isles. In 871, King Alfred (the Great) was able to resist further encroachment by these Vikings; Saxons acknowledged Danish rule in the North and Danes respected Saxon rule in the South. Alfred the Great also encouraged a rebirth in learning and education (he was a great patron of the arts). He became known as the “Father of English Prose.”

History/ The Makings of Modern Day English (cont’d)

King Alfred the Great

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By the close of the tenth century, Saxons were forced by the Danish to select Danish kings, and this went on until Edward the Confessor eventually was able to regain Saxon Rule. His death in 1066 brought about the end of Anglo-Saxon rule.

In 1066, Edward’s chosen Saxon predecessor battled with William of Normandy over rights to the throne. William won the Battle at Hastings or what was called the Norman Conquest. During his reign he saw that business was conducted in French or Latin. French became the official language, which then mixed with English (OE) to become what is now known as Middle English (ME).

History/ The Makings of Modern Day English (cont’d)

Middle English eventually gave way to Early Modern English, then MDE or PDE (Modern or Present day English).

OE= Beowulf, Exeter Book, etc.

ME=Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales

MDE or PDE= Shakespeare

History/ The Makings of Modern Day English (cont’d)

Timeline of the English Language

Old English sample

This is from the epic Beowulf , and in its original form—Old English. Click here for a link to hear it read aloud: http://faculty.virginia.edu/OldEnglish/Beowulf.Readings/Beowulf.Readings.html

Middle English SampleWhan that Aprill with his shoures soote The droghte of March hath perced to the roote, And bathed every veyne in swich licour Of which Vertu engendred is the flour; Whan Zephirus eek with his sweete breeth Inspired hath in every holt and heeth The tendre croppes, and the yonge sonne Hath in the ram his halve cours yronne, And smale foweles maken melodye, That slepen al the nyght with open ye (so priketh hem nature in hir corages); Thanne longen folk to goon on pilgrimages, And palmeres for to seken straunge strondes, To ferne halwes, kowthe in sondry londes; And specially from every shires ende Of Engelond to Caunterbury they wende, The hooly blisful martir for to seke, That hem hath holpen whan that they were seeke.

Variations in/ evolvement of English

Source: http://web.cn.edu/kwheeler/documents/OE_vs_ME.pdf

Most Anglo-Saxon Writing /Poetry:

was fatalistic, gloomy, melancholy, and grim (dealt with the Germanic idea of wyrd, or fate)

addressed the reality of a warrior societyfocused on a seafaring traditionwas mostly pagan though written down by

monks/clergy who injected Christian ideas

Characteristics of Old English/ Anglo-Saxon Writings

Poetry was usually epic (heroic; dealing with the achievements of warriors) or elegiac (lamenting the loss of a loved one).

Anglo-Saxon poetry had two general features: repetition and variation (on a theme)

Characteristics of Old English/ Anglo-Saxon Writings

A strong rhythm, usually four beats in a lineCaesuras, or pauses within a line, which gave a Scop the

chance to catch his breathKennings, or metaphorical two-word poetic renamings of

people, places, and things, such as “whales-home” for the seaAssonance, or repetition of vowel soundsAlliteration, or repetition of initial consonant sounds Elegy, a lyric poem mourning the loss of someone or

somethingEpic, a long narrative poem, usually developed orally, that

celebrates the deeds of a heroLyric poetry, developed from the lyre, a stringed instrument

used when poetry was recited; was both secular and religious and full of emotion

Poetic elements associated with Anglo-Saxon Poetry

The Exeter Book A collection of manuscripts that includes pieces from oral tradition, probably compiled by monks around the time of Alfred the Great between 871 and 899.

It was a blend of traditions mixing pagan ideas about fate with Christian ideas about faith and heaven.

Included were the stories and boasts of proud warriors with lessons in humility, and the famous Exeter Riddles; most material was in poetic form.

-The riddles, or enigmata, are sometimes sexual in nature with their use of double-entendre. The reader is teased by a misleading description of an object.

-Of the 95 riddles, there are only 5 on which everyone agrees on the answer

-People pretty much agree on 15 of them

Beowulf is the oldest surviving work of English poetry, written in Old English sometime around the 11th century, although the poem dates from around the eighth century. The action takes place in Scandinavia.

The epic Beowulf explores the nature of heroism in medieval society.

The character Beowulf is a Geat from what is now southern Sweden. He sets sail to help Danish King Hrothgrar in his fight against the evil monster Grendel, who is terrorizing Denmark’s great mead hall, Herot.

The second battle is between Beowulf and Grendel’s mother, who seeks revenge for the murder of her son.

The third and final battle takes place in Geatland about 50 years after the first two battles. When a dragon threatens his kingdom, the aged Beowulf is determined to slay him.

Beowulf

Anglo-Saxon Prose

All prose was usually written in Latin before the reign of Alfred the Great.

Bede (673-735), a priest and a scholar, wrote The History of the English Church and People, which gives an account of England from the Roman invasion up to his own time. He was able to generate the history of Britain, although his main concern was the spread of Christianity in England.

The Venerable Bede

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Themes and Motifs of this Time Period and its Literature

The characters outside the male community are disruptive: monsters, women, etc. Women did not hold as much importance and were infrequently found in writings of the time.

Nothing lasts; human relations are discordantNo human effort can change the course of wyrd or go against

God’s will.Pagan vs. Christian valuesMaking a good name for oneself was almost as good as

immortalitySurvivalGood vs. EvilThe sanctity of the homeLoyalty and allegianceHeroism/ heroic deeds

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