The Angels and Saxons conquered England in the 5th century. In the 6th century, Christianity came in England. The chief literary production was heroic poetry of Christian kind. Beowulf and the Elegies became the literary legacy of Anglo-Saxon Literature while Caedmon and Bede became notable literary persons. King Alfred the great wrote prose works. These works became the foundational literary pieces of Old English Literature which spans the Anglo-Saxon period (670-1100).
The term Anglo Saxon is a modern
term which refers to the settlers from the German regions of Angels and Saxony.
They made their own way over to Britain after the fall of Roman Empire in 410.
In the 5th century, Roman armies withdrew from Britain in 410 A.D. In the
meanwhile, the Jutes and Frisians from Denmark were settling in the British
Isles. The invaders came to Britain in 45 A. D. these invaders were the
ancestors of the Anglo Saxons. They came from Jutland and neighboring islands.
They established their kingdom in the east, north and midlands of the
Britain.
Saxons came from south of Denmark, and east of Holland. They established their kingdom in the south and southwest of Britain. Jutes came from Jutland and country east of the lower Rhine. They established their Anglian kingdom in the south east.There were little cultural differences among these tribes. Their language was same, with little dialectical differences. They all considered themselves part of Germinia. The Anglo-Saxon settlers proved to be an effectively their own masters in a new land and they made little efforts to keep the legacy of the Romans alive. They stroke and replaced the Roman stone buildings with wooden ones made by themselves. In 597, Saint Augustine was sent to Britain with a bank of monks by the pope “Gregory of the Roman Empire”.
He established first Christian missionary Church at
Canterbury. In 793-95, the Viking invasions (Danish and Norwegian) secured the
lands of Scotland, northern and eastern England. In 917, England reoccupied
Danish held territories until 926. In 1013, the Danish conquest occurred and
monarchy was launched from 1016 to 1042. In 1066, English king “Edward (the
confessor)” died. Harold, son of Godwin, was elected as the new king. In the
same year, he was defeated at the battle of Hastings by William of Normandy.
Anglo-Saxon also spoke their own language (Teutonic Language
which is the older version of English language) which gave rise to the English
spoken today. The Anglo Saxons brought their own religious believes, social
norms, political thoughts, economic principles and cultural values. The arrival
of Saint Augustine in 597 converted most of the countrymen to
Christianity.
For 600 years, The Anglo-Saxon period lasted from 410 to
1066. In that time, Britain’s political landscapes underwent many important
changes. These early settlers of Angels and Saxons kept themselves grounded in
small tribal groups forming kingdoms and sub kingdoms. Thus, Anglo Saxon became
a melting pot of Icelanding, Viking, Latin, French, Germanic and Celtic
people.
In the 9th century, the whole region was divided into 4
kingdoms under the king Alfred the great.
- Northumbria
- Mercia
- East
Anglia
- Wessex
Only the Wessex survived its kingdom against the invasions of Vikings. Eric Bloodaxe, the Viking ruler of York, was killed by the Wessex army in 954 England was united under one King Edred. In 1066, Anglo Saxon rule came to an end after the death of Edward the confessor. He had no heir. Harold Godwinson was appointed as his successor but he failed in his attempt to defend his kingship. When William and an invading army crossed the channel from France to claim it from himself, Harold was defeated by the Normans at the battle of Hastings in October 1066. And, thus a new era was ushered in.
English literature started with the literature of Angels and
Saxons, the ancestors of English race. Much before the occupied Britain,
English was the common name and term of these tribes. Before the occupied
Britain, they used to live along the coasts of Sweden and Denmark and the land
which they occupied was called Engle-land. These tribes were fearless,
adventurous, brave and daring.
Anglo-Saxon Language:
It was developed from Indo-European language (the great
Aryan) and became a modern language. It bears the same root words for father
and mother, for God and man, for the common needs and the common relations of
life, as we find in other languages like Sanskrit, Iranian, Greek and Latin.
And it was this old vigorous Anglo-Saxon language which forms the basis of
modern English language.
Before Christianity, Anglo-Saxon Literature:
The late years of Roman occupation of Britain, they kept the
British coasts in terror. Like other nations, they sang at their feats about
battles, gods and their ancestral heroes. English poetry, which began in the
ancient Engle-land, was the result of oral songs of religion, wars and
agriculture, while Britain was still a Roman province.
Before Christianity, the old English Literature was majorly
in the Oral form because the people of these three tribes (Angles, Saxons and
Jutes) were illiterate. Oral poetry was considered an Art, an Art of memorable
speech. It dealt with the set of heroic and narrative themes in a common
metrical form. It had richly varied style and storytelling technique. It
accounts the social norms of Saxons and other tribes. Some 30,000 lines
of Anglo-Saxon poetry has survived. It tended to have three kinds of
subject matter; religion, war and trials of daily life.
All of these subject matters were used as themes of great
deal in singing the songs of the day. These fragments of oral literature are
considered as a substantial body of works as literature. Here language was in
early stages of development.
Anglo-Saxon Poetry:
It is a fact that much of Anglo-Saxon poetry has lost.
Although there are still some fragments left. Much of the Anglo-Saxon poetry
was oral. Oral poetry was considered an art, which had evolved over
generations, an art of memorable speech. It dealt with a set of heroic and
narrative themes in a common metrical form rich in varied style and
storytelling techniques. The first English poetry resembles Homeric poetry.
Literature in the Anglo Saxon recorded in manuscripts. That’s why our knowledge
of Anglo-Saxon poetry depends on four groups of manuscripts. These are given
below.
- The
manuscripts collected by Sir Robert Cotton, now are in placed British
Museum
- The
Exeter Book, given to Exeter cathedral by Bishop Leofric in
1050
- The
Vercelli Book, found at Vercilli near Milan in 1822
- The
Bodleian Library at oxford, given by Dutch scholar
Francis Junios
Widsith (Battle Poem)
It describes the continental courts visited in imagination
by a far-wandering poet.
Waldhere (Battle Poem); It tells how Walter of
Aquintaine withstood a host of foes in the passage of Vosges.
The Fight at Finnesburg (poem); This poem deals with
the themes of battle against fearful odds. It was set on continent.
Complaint of Doer (poem); It describes the
disappointment of lover.
Andreas (poem); It is an epic poem. Both the
pagan and Christian values are in the poem.
Beowulf (1st English epic poem); It is a
tale of adventures of Beowulf. It has 3182 verses in it. Its manuscript was
found in 10th century. At the same time, it is also a poem of praise
for valor and venturous deeds, a tragedy and an elegy because the hero
inevitably dies and the heroic deeds are recalled respectively. Its story was
brought by Angels. It shows its origin in the oral literature. A Northumbrian
poet converted the pagan story of Beowulf of Ballad form into Christian epic
form in about 8th century. This poem is full of human speech and
serious images. It is the beginning of heroic tradition. Its structure involves
a main plot featuring animals and monsters with only the sub-plot involving
human beings. This poem is from the manuscript collected by Sir Robert Cotton.
It has a historical background. Its authorship is unknown.
In the first part of the poem “Beowulf”, Beowulf appears as
the hero, a champion and a slayer of monsters. A monster named Grendel, is
disturbing Hrothgar (king of the Danes in Heorot). Heoret is the name of his
great hall. Beowulf is recorded as eloquent, courageous, and quick to act,
responsible, magnanimous and considerate. He comes with the group of comrades
to rescue. He overcomes Grendel. He also fights against Grendel’s mother (a sea
monster) in a dwelling at the bottom of a lake. In the second part of the poem,
Beowulf becomes king. He is old now. He has to save his country from a fiery
dragon. He has a wise brain on his young shoulders. He rules 55 years in the
story. The poem closes with an account of his funeral rites. The incidents of
the poem may be found in hundreds of other stories. The main interesting thing
is that it is full of all sort of references and allusions to great events from
the fortunes of Kings to the description of nations. In this poem, the greatest
crime is treachery to a lord.
Note: All the above poems are anonymous
Aldhelm (poet, 640-709)
The first known English poet, who wrote poetry in native
English language. His English works are lost. Only his Latin writings are
survived. He was the first learned poet. He was the monastic founder of
Malmesbury Frome. His poetry had classical, national, geographical and natural
elements. Much of his poetry was religious.
After Christianity; Anglo Saxon Literature:
Bede’s “Ecclesiastical History of English People” reports
that the Evangelists (Roman Missionaries) were highly literate. They were sent
to England in 597 by Pope Gregory (as discussed earlier in the chapter) to
bring Gospel to the Angels and to convert Angels to Christians under the
leadership of Saint Augustine. Later, Gregory’s influential successor Theodore
(a Syrian-Greek Archbishop) organized the Church in England and made it learned
church. It was in these Christian missionaries that the England became
literate. The writers appeared to write their works rather that singing and
passing the literature orally to the next generations.
Venerable Bede (672-735)
He was famous as clergyman, a learned scholar and historian.
The modern way of Dating Years AD (Anno Domini, “the year of our lord”) was
introduced by him. He employed this system in his history. His most famous work
is “Ecclesiastical History of English People”.
Religious Poetry
After Anglo-Saxon embraced Christianity, the writers took up
religious characters, subject matter and themes. Two important poets are
discussed here.
Caedmon
(poet):
He was a servant attached to the monastery of Whitby in
Yorkshire. According to Bede, he was shy and sensitive cowherd. He became poet
after a visit by an angel. He is the first poet to use English oral
composition to write sacred story into verse. He wrote many religious Hymns. A
Hymn is a song of praise. He praised the English religion and culture. He sang
the whole story of human fate from the creation, the fall, the redemption to
the last judgment. He also wrote three paraphrases of scripture. 1st
scripture deals with the creation, and the fall of man. 2nd
scripture is about the exodus from Egypt. 3rd scripture accounts the
details of the history of Daniel.
He wrote following poems.
- The
Dream of the Rood; rood means cross. This book has large number of words,
phrases and images used for figure of Christ and his cross. It gives us
the themes of suffering and redemption.
- Elene; a
poem of the martyrdom of St. Juliana.
- Fates
of the Apostles; a story of finding cross by St. Helena.
- The
Fall of Angels
- The
Story of Daniel and Judith
- Genesis
and Exodus
Cynewulf (poet):
He was a Northumbrian. Once, he was a gleeman and a lover of
pleasure, but converted by a vision of cross to a Christian. He also dedicated
himself to religious themes. His most important poem is Christ. In this poem,
he narrates about the leading events of Christ’s ministry upon earth, including
his return to judgment. It is written in a grandeur style. He is the only Old
English Poet to sign his poems.
Elegies of the Anglo Saxon Age:
The most striking early English Poems are Elegies of the
Exeter Book. These elegies are heroic and romantic in nature, written in
dramatic monologue, whose speakers are unnamed. In the Exeter book, there are
seven poems of great human interests. These poems are elegies. Life in all
these poems is sorrowful. The speakers of these poems are fantastic, courageous
and determined.
- Complaint
of Doer (Heroic Elegy)
- Wulf
and Eadwacer (Love Elegy)
- The
Wife’s Lament (Love Elegy)
- The
Husband’s Message (Love Elegy)
- The
Ruin (Heroic Elegy)
- The
Wanderer (Heroic Elegy)
- The Seafarer (Heroic Elegy)
Anglo-Saxon Prose:
It is important to know that earlier kind of Prose works
were religious in nature, having religious subject matter and
character.
King Alfred (849-899)
He belonged to Wessex kingdom. He became king at the age of
22. He ruled from 871 to 899. He was a lover of chronicles. He begun to write
chronicles. He was also the fond of Latin literature. That’s why, he started
his work as a translator of Latin literature. He is the first prose writer in
the history of the English Literature. In his childhood, he mastered the art of
reading. He also established English as a Literary Language.
He translated many books from Latin to English, which are
given below.
- Cura
Pastorals
- Gregory’s
Pastoral Rule
- Bede’s
Ecclesiastical History of English People/Race
- Orosius’
History of the World
- Augustine’s
Soliloquies
- Boethius’
Consolation of Philosophy
Priest Aelfric
He wrote sermons. His sermons were recorded in the books and
appeared as important manuscripts for Prose. These sermons had didactic tone,
allusions, references, proverbs, examples from daily life, and so on. For
having all these elements, his sermons were termed as Prose. He composed
following books.
- Homilies
(two books, with the same name, each book has fifty sermons)
- Saint's
Life
- The
Grammar
Wulfstan
He was the archbishop of York, who died in 1023. He
wrote “A Sermon of the Wolf”.
Characteristics of Old English Poetry:
- Much of written poetry is religious.
- There are number of poetic tropes which enable a writer to describe things indirectly.
- There are figurative descriptions, known as “Kennings”. These kennings are often occurred in compounds; for example, Bronrad (whale road) and Swanrad (swan road) for Sea.
- There is an extensive use of Alliteration, especially found in the epic poem Beowulf.
- Old English Poetry also contains wide range of conventional poetic diction.
- There is a use of figurative language, full of imposing tones and rhythms.
Themes in the Anglo Saxon Literature
The prominent themes are love for personal freedom,
responsiveness to nature and religion, love for womanhood, struggle for glory,
and chivalry and heroism. To conclude, before the Norman Conquest, three
important events took place in England. Angels, Saxons and Jutes
came to England and convert to Christianity prevailing a sense of nationalism
which was spread among these tribes and they became united.
For Further Details Read: Old
English Literature
