Part One Early and Medieval__ English Literature 英国文学

பைடு நூலகம்
Anglo-Saxon Religious Belief and Its Influence The Anglo-Saxons were heathen people. They believed in old mythology of Northern Europe. That is why the Northern mythology has left its mark upon the English Language. For example, the days of the week in English are named after the Northern gods. Odin—Wednesday Thor—Thursday Frigga –Friday
Part I The Anglo-Saxon Period(449-1066)
English literature began with the Anglo— Saxon settlement in England. the Song of Beowulf----England’s national epic; a long poem over 3,000 lines epic: A long narrative poem telling about the deeds of a great hero and reflecting the values of the society from which it originated. (term)
Anglo-Saxon Religious Belief and Its Influence
The Anglo-Saxons were Christianized in the seventh century. Then monasteries were built all over the country. In these monasteries , at a time when few but monks could read and write, the earliest English books were written down. But as the monks hated the heathen books, they managed to tinge them with some Christian color which does not go in with the content of the whole thing.
Julius Caesar
In 55 B.C., Britain was invaded by Julius Caesar, the Roman conqueror. But as soon as the Romans landed on shore of the island, the Britons fought like lions under the leadership of their chieftain. Britain was not completely subjugated to the Roman Empire until 78 A.D. With the Roman Conquest the Roman mode of life came across to Britain also. The Roman occupation lasted for about 400 years. It was also during the Roman rule that Christianity was introduced to Britain.
Characteristics of Beowulf


a. the mixture of pagan elements with Christian coloring. The most outstanding example is the frequent reference in the epic to ―Wyrd‖ (fate) as the decisive factor in human affaires, while on other occasions ―God‖ or ―Lord‖ is also mentioned as the omniscient and omnipotent being that rules over the whole universe. b. the frequent use of metaphors and understatements. ―Ring giver‖ is used for king, ―Swan road‖, ―whale-path‖ or ―seal bath‖ for the sea, ―wave-traveler‖ or ―sea-wood‖ for ship, ―shieldbearer‖, ―battle-hero‖ or ―spear-fighter‖ for soldier. Understatement as ―not troublesome ‖ for very welcome.
History of British Literature
Part One Early and Medieval English Literature Part Two The English Renaissance Part Three The Period of the English Bourgeois Revolution Part Four The Eighteenth Century Part Five Romanticism in England Part Six English Critical Realism Part Seven Twentieth Century English Literature
The English Conquest
In the middle of 5th century, Britain was invaded by swarms of pirates. They were three tribes from Northern Europe: The Angles, Saxons and Jutes. And by the 7th century these small kingdoms were combined into a united kingdom called England, or the land of Angles. The three tribes had mixed into a whole people called English, the Angles being the most numerous of the three. And the three dialects called Anglo-Saxon, or Old English, which is quite different from the English that we know today.
Read the Story of “Beowulf” on P3 to make a clear idea about the characters in the story. Beowulf --- the hero of the story Hygelac --- Bewulf’s Uncle, king of the Geats, a people in Jutland, Denmark. Hrothgar ---King of the Danes, is in great trouble Grendel --- a terrible monster Grendel’s Mother


c. Beowulf is written in alliterative verse. Its rhythm depends upon accent and alliteration. That is, the beginning of two or more words in the same line with the same sound or letter. The lines are made up of two short halves, separated by a pause. No rhyme is used; but a musical effect is produced by giving each half line two strongly accented syllables. Each full line, therefore, has four accents, three of which usually begin with the same sound or letter. d. Beowulf towers above all other Anglo-Saxon literature, not only because it is a powerful poem about people’s hero written in true epic style, but also because it tells in artistic form the tale in a leisurely way, full of elaborations in legendary details, and the verse rises at places to heights of poetic grandeur.
Alliteration
The repetition of similar sounds, usually consonant or consonant clusters, in a group of words. Sometimes the term is limited to the repetition of initial consonant sounds. When alliteration occurs at the beginning of words, it is called initial alliteration; when it occurs within words, it is called internal or hidden alliteration. It usually occurs on stressed syllables.