Download AandH101 Great Books: ENGLISH LITERATURE and more Study notes English Literature in PDF only on Docsity! English literature Is the literature which is distinctly written in the English language, as opposed to differing languages. English literature includes literature composed in English by writers not necessarily from England nor primarily English-speaking nations. Until the early 19th century, this article deals with literature from Britain written in English; then America starts to produce major writers and works in literature. In the 20th century America and Ireland produced many of the most significant works of literature in English, and after World War II writers from the former British Empire also began to challenge writers from Britain. History Of English Literature The Anglo-Saxon Period f (449-1066 BC ) The Anglo-Saxons Who were they? o “Anglo-Saxon” is the term applied to the English- speaking inhabitants of Britain from around the middle of the fifth century until the time of the Norman Conquest, when the Anglo-Saxon line of English kings came to an end. Where did their language come from? • Bede tells us that the Anglo-Saxons came from Germania. • The languages spoken by the inhabitants of Germania were a branch of the Indo-European family of languages, which linguists believe developed from a single language spoken some five thousand years ago in an area that has never been identified perhaps, some say, the Caucasus. Old English dialects The language spoken by the Anglo-Saxons at the time of their migration to Britain was probably more or less uniform. Over time, however, Old English developed into four major dialects: 1.Northumbrian, spoken north of the river Humber 2.Mercian, spoken in the midlands 3.Kentish, spoken in Kent (in the far southeastern part of the island); 4.West Saxon, spoken in the southwest. Old English literature, or Anglo- Saxon literature, encompasses literature written in Old English in Anglo-Saxon England, in the period after the settlement of the Saxons and other Germanic tribes in England after the withdrawal of the Romans and “ending soon after the Norman Conquest” in 1066. The Anglo-Saxon influenced English Literature when they brought with them a rich tradition of oral literature steeped in their customs, pagan beliefs and rituals. The lyric and epic poetry they wrote told of the hardships of survival and the importance of courage in performing heroic deeds. It dignified the difficulties and dangers faced by the warriors before they succeeded in their heroic feats. Some significant literary work in this period: 1. Ecclesiastical History of the English People and Caedmon Hymn by Bede 2. Anglo-Saxon Chronicle by Alfred the Great 3. The Wonderer 4. Deor’s Lament 5. A Dream of the Rood 6. The Battle of Maldon 7. Beowulf (Lone Surviving Epic of English Literature) The significant literary genres were: 1. Chronicle 2. Formulaic Poetry 3. Epic Poem (Tribal Scop) Some significant literary work in this period are came from
