Old English Period Or Anglo-Saxon Period

Lesson 2:

#Literature

450-1066 

Old English (or Anglo-Saxon) Period

Invasion of the German tribes to England

Time: 

Fifth century (450) to The Norman Conquest (1066) but it continues to 1150.

Features: 

Pagan origin, anonymous origin & the manuscripts of this period.

Famous works:

Four manuscripts are -

• The Beowulf (The greatest Germanic Epic poem)- It contains Beowulf & Judith.
• The Junius Ms- It contains so called Caedmonian poems.
• The Exeter Book - It contains two of the signed poems of Cynewulf.
• The Vercelli Book- It contains two of the signed poems of Cynewulf including "Elene and Andreas" & The Dream of the Rood"

The Old English Period or The Anglo-Saxon Period's Literature can be divided into two main categories:

Poetry: 

Beowulf is the example of Old English Poetry under epic category. 

Then comes the Pagan Poetry--> 'Christian'. 'Widsith', 'The Far Traveller', 'Waldere', 'The Fight at Finnsburh', 'The Fight of Brunanburh', 'The Battle of Maldon'.

We also get to know about the elegies which are also called as lyric laments like "The Wanderer", "The Seafarer" and "Deor" all of which although composed by the Christian writers , reflect the conditions of life in the pagan past.

"Wife's Lament" "Husband's Message" appear in the Exeter Book.

Prose:

Alfred is the father of  English Prose. He translated "The Pastoral Care of Pope Gregory", "The History of  the World of Orosius", Bede's Ecclesiastical History", Boethius' "Consolation of Philosophy" and the soliloquies of St. Augustine.

*Aelfric was known for his grammar : "Catholic Homilies", The Lives of the Saints"

*Wulfstan wrote Sermo Lupi and Anglos