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LECTURE NOTES III

ANGLO-SAXON LITERATURE

Sources:

Primary Sources:

Anonymous,Beowulf, ed. Wren, C.L. (London: Harrap, 1953)Anonymous,Beowulf, modern English ersion in The Oxford Anthology of English Literature, ed.

!ermode, "., #. Hollander e$ al., (%&'ord: %, 19*3), pp. +-9

Asser/sLife of King Alfred, 0rans. . !eynes, 2. Lapidge, enguin, 193

ede, The Ecclesiastical History of the English Peole, 0rans.L.herley-ri4e, enguin, 199Caedmon/sHymn, o$h ersions in The Oxford Anthology of English Literature, ed. !ermode, ".,

#. Hollander e$ al., (%&'ord: %, 19*3), pp. 19-+

Secondary sources:

augh, A.C., ed.,A Literary History of England(London: 6ou$ledge 7 !egan aul, 198), pp. 3-

15

ai4hes, ., A !ritical History of English Literature, ol.1 (London: e4er 7 Warurg, 19;9),

pp. 3-3ay, 2..,A History of English Literature to Sixteen Sixty (ouleday, 19;3), pp.39-85

"le$4her, 6.H.,A History of English Literature (os$on: adger, +* ., Loe$$, 6. 2.,History of English Literature(?e@ or: 4riner, 191), pp, 1-++

Wren, C.L., Bn$rodu4$ion.Beowulf(London: Harrap, 1953), pp. 9-8

A. Historical Background

1. The Anglo-Saxon invasions and their organization:

-

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- la$er, aulinus 4oner$ed ing Ed@in (?or$humria)

- maor 4en$res: Can$erury and Dlas$onury

- *$h4. 0heodore o' 0arsus, Hadrian, enedi4$ is4op rough$ aou$ impor$an$ yFan$ine and

2edi$erranean in'luen4es and organiFed edu4a$ion.

- in $he 1$h.4. $he enedi4$ine mons 4on$riu$ed $o $he manus4rip$ $radi$ion in England

- $@o au$hors es$ no@n 'or $heir

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- Caedmons s4hool: CaedmonsHymn also: &enesis/ Exodus/ *aniel, !hrist and Satan

- Cyne@ul's s4hool: The 1ate of the Aostles/ !hrist "Ascension#/ -uliana/ Andreas/

&uthlac/ Elene)

( The *ream of the $ood

( The Anglo(Saxon Bestiary: The ,hale/ The Panther2 The Phoenix (La4$an$ius)

!" Courtly poetry:

- ,idsith/ *eor0s Lamentc" #eroic poetry:

( Beowulf/ The Battle of 3aldon

0ros"

- Anglo-La$in prose @ri$ings and $ransla$ions (*$h 4.-9$h 4)- *$h-$h4. 0he Can$erury 4hool (0heodore o' 0arsus, Hadrian)

- Aldhelm (rhy$hmi4al poe$ry in La$in)

- *$h4. 0he #arro@ and Wearmou$h 4hool (enedi4$ is4op)

- *$h-$h>enerale ede : Anglo La$in @ri$er, mon (#arro@) he @ro$e gramma$i4al and

rhe$ori4al handoos s4ien$i'i4 $rea$ises ili4al 4ommen$aries

-The Ecclesisastical History of the English Peole: use'ul in'orma$ion 4on4erning $he li'e

and men$ali$y o' $he Anglo-a&ons

S"cond $"riod 34t(533t(c"nturi"s t(" "arl, R"naissanc"s:

1a2 T(" Al%r"dian R"naissanc" 1/t(-34t(c.2

162 T(" B"n"dictin" R"7i7al 134t(c.2

1a2 T(" Al%r"dian R"naissanc"

- !ing Al'red $he Drea$ (*1-9) o' Wesse&:

- a signi'i4an$ mili$ary leader, adminis$ra$or and s4holar

- Al'reds edu4a$ional programme @as mean$:

- $o lin Anglo-a&on 4ul$ure $o $he 4on$inen$, espe4ially $o $he 4lassi4al European

$radi$ions o' an4ien$ Dree4e and 6ome

- $o ins$i$u$e some 4on$inen$al legi$ima4y 'or $he Anglo-a&on ingdom

-$o edu4a$e $he 4lergy in$o 4lassi4al and Chris$ian 4ul$ure

- $o deelop a 4omple& programme o' $ransla$ions 'rom La$in in$o Anglo-a&on:

- Al'red @an$ed $o deelop a 4omple& programme o' $ransla$ions 'rom La$in in$o Anglo-a&on:

- He himsel' $ransla$ed arious @ors:

Historical: (5$h4), %rosius,Historia uni4ersalis (The History of the ,orld) >enerale

ede (*$h4),Historia ecclesiastica gentis anglorum

Bi6lical: The Psalms

T("ological: Dregory $he Drea$, The Pastoral !are (*e cura astoralis): $he du$ies o' $he

4lergy ishops mus$ e learned in order $o e ale $o $ea4h o$hers $. Augus$ine,

Solilo5uies(Solilo5uia):

B. ear4h 'or $he presen4e o' Dod $hrough: hope, 'ai$h, 4hari$y and $ru$h (serantia/

fides/ caritas/ 4eritas)

.BB.on $he immor$ali$y o' $he soul.BBB. o' eeing Dod (@isdom $ha$ a44ompanies $he soul in i$s a'$erli'e)

0(iloso$(ical: oe$hius (;$h4.): The !onsolation of hilosohy

.B.: no@ledge o' $he sel'.BB.: $he 'i4leness o' "or$une

.BBB.$rue happiness is in Dod alone

.B>.: eil neer goes unpunished nor good unre@arded

.>. on mans 'ree @ill @hi4h is 4onsonan$ @i$h Dods 'oreno@ledge

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162 34t( 533t(c. T(" B"n"dictin" R"7i7al

- under !ing Edgar): $he enedi4$ine mons @ro$e oos on grammar, his$oriography,

hagiography (lies o' $he sain$s)

- $@o o$her au$hors 4on$riu$ed $o $he deelopmen$ o' li$era$ure soon a'$er:

- Ael'ri4

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