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Introduction to Medieval Literature: Old English, Middle English, and Historical Context

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Introduction to Medieval Literature: Old English, Middle English, and Historical Context

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Welcome to the wild and crazy world of medieval literature! We've got dragons, we've got King Arthur, we've got knights, we've got some more dragons. It's pretty awesome. I don't know about you, but I played with the Lego castle constantly when I was a kid. I designed booby traps that were dumping stuff on people coming through the portcullis; I was obsessed. And you should be too. Think about all that stuff and get yourself really excited. That should help you through the sometimes frustrating, but also rewarding, study of medieval literature.

Early and High Middle Ages

We're going to start, naturally, with the Early Middle Ages, which basically starts when the Romans clear out in about 400 A.D. The Romans had been hanging out since around 50 A.D. or so. There's a lot of Roman stuff in Britain. There's this town called Bath that's named after a Roman bath that was there and actually still is there. You can go look at it; it's kind of cool. So that's the Romans. They clear out around 400 A.D., and there's a period of chaos and figuring out who should be in charge of stuff. Then the Normans come in and invade from France. William the Conqueror is the guy associated with them, and he comes in and conquers. You can remember his name because he conquers things.

This scoots us along into what's known as the High Middle Ages. That's when all the stuff you might have seen in Robin Hood takes place - King John, Richard the Lionheart's off at the Crusades; they weren't animals, they were real - so that's around 1150-1215. Then we head into the Black Plague, or Black Death, around 1350. You've probably heard of that. Tons of people died, and stuff got crazy. There were these doctors that would go around with beaks on their noses to keep out the vapors; it was weird. Around that time, they're fighting the Hundred Years' War in France, and that lasts for about a hundred years, from 1337 to 1453. Then we're kind of moving out of the Middle Ages in 1485, when the Tudors take the throne, and we're on our way into the Renaissance. (Side note: I don't know if I should be advocating this, but you should watch The Tudors. Don't believe it, but watch it.)

That was a lot of stuff we covered from a long period of time, but we kind of laid out the general sweep of things.

Now it's time to figure out Who was writing? and What were they writing? Per capita, there actually weren't a lot of people writing because not a lot of people were literate. People associated with the church could read, and people who were highborn could probably read. A lot of the oral traditions couldn't survive unless someone who was literate wrote them down. That was the case for the first piece of medieval lit we're going to talk about, which is called Caedmon's Hymn.

Caedmon's Hymn

Caedmon's Hymn is the earliest recorded poem in Old English. Old English has the word 'English' in it, but you won't be able to read it if you try. It's super old (obviously) and pretty far removed from modern English - it's basically a foreign language to us. Caedmon himself was illiterate, so this was composed orally. It was written down by a guy named the Venerable Bede around the seventh century A.D. He wrote it in Latin, and that's the reason we have it, because this literate guy wrote it down.

A few things about it, it's composed in something called alliterative verse , which is kind of interesting. Instead of rhyming, in order to structure the poetry, what they do is have a bunch of words in the same line start with the same letter. You've probably heard of alliteration like 'The angry alligator ate Andy.' It's basically that but in poetry, and instead of a rhyme structure they had an alliterative structure.

Each line in this hymn also had a caesura, which is basically just a break, or pause, in the middle of each line. And, like modern hymns, it was about praising God. So that's Caedmon's Hymn.

Beowulf

Moving right along, next we've got Beowulf (which we'll have a whole lesson on, but I'll give a brief overview). Caedmon's Hymn, we know that a guy named Caedmon wrote it because that's what we call it, but Beowulf, we don't know who wrote it. It's anonymous; we don't know the dude who wrote Beowulf. It's quite similar in some ways to Caedmon's Hymn - a lot of Old English poetry does that alliterative verse and caesura thing. But it's also really, really long, so it's quite different in that respect. It's actually called an epic; that's its classification.

It's about a guy named Beowulf who helps out this guy named Hrothgar who's king of the Danes (that's Denmark a long time ago). Beowulf comes and kills Grendel, who's been terrorizing their mead hall - Oh no, not the mead hall! That's where they'd hang out and drink! - then Grendel's mom comes and takes revenge and Beowulf goes and kills her. Then he goes home and becomes king of his people, ends up fighting a dragon and dies a noble hero's death.

That's the very brief summary of Beowulf, but the interesting thing about it is there's a lot of debate about whether it was passed down in the oral tradition for awhile and then written down or whether it was written down around when it was composed. We don't really know. It was written down around 1000 A.D. and could have been composed as early as the eighth century. It's the kind of thing scholars like to fight about, which is not as exciting as it sounds.

More Old English

Is there anything else in Old English? Yeah, there's a ton of stuff, all pretty small. We won't talk about anything individually. There are poems called elegiac poems that are about life and wisdom; they're not as long as epics. Old English people were also really into writing riddles. Kind of like 'What is black and white and red all over?' but more interesting and cool and ancient. And they also wrote a lot about saints because they were religious folk. There's a genre called Saints' Lives that got a lot of play back then.

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introduction to medieval literature: old english

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and historical context - video & lesson transcript | study.com

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Introduction to Medieval Literature: Old English, Middle English, and Historical Context - Video & Lesson Transcript | Study.com

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Welcome to the wild and crazy world of medieval literature! We've got dragons, we've got King Arthur, we've got knights, we've got some more dragons. It's pretty awesome. I don't know about you, but I played with the Lego castle constantly when I was a kid.

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Some of them were created more than 1,000 years ago, and yet the palette of colours used by the artists arguably remains as bright and colourful as when they were first painted.
The British Library is showcasing its treasure trove of illuminated manuscripts collected by the kings and queens of England between the 9th and 16th Centuries - from King Athelstan to Henry VIII. Take a look with lead curator Scot McKendrick.

To see the enhanced content on this page, you need to have JavaScript enabled and Adobe Flash installed.
Royal Manuscripts: The Genius of Illumination can be seen at the British Library, London, until 13 March 2012. All images copyright British Library/British Library Board. Music courtesy KPM Music. Slideshow production by Paul Kerley. Publication date 11 November 2011. Related: Royal Manuscripts at the British Library The BBC is not responsible for the content of external websites. More audio slideshows: Genius in our midst Exploring Hogarth's House The startling tribute to WWI's poignant poet Autumn glory at Stourhead

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Some of them were created more than 1,000 years ago, and yet the palette of colours used by the artists arguably remains as bright and colourful as when they were first painted. The British Library is showcasing its treasure trove of illuminated manuscripts collected by the kings and queens of England between the 9th and 16th Centuries - from King Athelstan to Henry VIII.

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Copy of Beowulf Prompt Graphic Organizer

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Horrible Histories Historical Fashion Fix Medieval Peasent

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Horrible Histories Historical Fashion Fix Medieval Peasent

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William the Conqueror ("Sexyback" by Justin Timberlake)

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William the Conqueror ("Sexyback" by Justin Timberlake)

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The Canterbury Tales ("California Dreamin" by the Mamas and the Papas)

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The Canterbury Tales ("California Dreamin" by the Mamas and the Papas)

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Beowulf Study Guide

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Free summary and analysis of the events in Unknown's Beowulf that won't make you snore. We promise.

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The Anglo Saxons

Answer these questions

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Anglo Saxon and Medieval History and Literature

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Great Britain has changed substantially since the time of Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, which described life in late 14th century England. For this five-part series, Rob Gifford retraced Chaucer's steps, walking the 60 miles from London to Canterbury, to give a snapshot of Britain in the early 21st century.

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The Canterbury Tales

General Prologue Worksheet

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Beowulf

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The poem's begins with a brief genealogy of the Shieldings (Danes). The tribe has taken its name from Shield Shielding, a mythological hero who, many years earlier, reached their shores as a castaway babe, a foundling (a deserted or abandoned child of unknown parentage) on a ship mysteriously laden with treasure.
Shield's son, Beow had
a successful reign after
Shield's death and sea
burial. Beow ruled
long and well, "beloved by
his people" (54). Beow's son, Halfdane, sired four offspring, the most notable of whom is Hrothgar, king of the Shieldings as the story unfolds.
Hrothgar has been a great king and won many victories for his people. As a symbol of his success, he has built a great mead-hall, called Heorot, the finest of its kind.
An ogre named Grendel lives in the nearby moors and takes exception to his neighbors' excessive happiness. A descendant of Cain, he envies and resents mankind. One night he attacks without warning and slaughters 30 of Hrothgar's men. He returns the next night and soon drives the Shieldings from the great hall. His ruthless dominance lasts 12 years.
In the land of the Geats, southwestern Sweden, the most powerful of all living warriors - Beowulf - hears of Hrothgar's dilemma. A nephew and thane of King Hygelac, Beowulf carefully chooses 14 of the finest warriors in Geatland to sail to Denmark.
A retainer of Hrothgar, assigned to guarding the coast, spots Beowulf and his men when they land and leads the group to Heorot. Almost everyone is impressed with Beowulf's noble stature, enormous size, and obvious strength.
Hrothgar's herald, Wulfgar, strongly urges the king to meet with Beowulf and the Geats. Hrothgar
needs little convincing.
He once protected
Beowulf's now deceased
father, Ecgtheow, from
a blood feud and knew
Beowulf when he was a
boy. Hrothgar has already heard that Beowulf has the strength of 30 men in his hand-grip and welcomes the visitors.
Beowulf gives his credentials: He has destroyed a tribe of giants, defeated sea monsters in night fight, and returned from
battle covered with the blood of his enemies.
Beowulf states that he will fight Grendel
without armor or sword, hand to claw,
because the ogre does not use weapons. If
Beowulf is killed, he wants his war-shirt
(breast armor, mail) returned to King Hygelac.
Hrothgar offers a joyful feast in honor of
Beowulf's arrival. The good cheer is interrupted by Unferth, a top thane of Hrothgar, who insults Beowulf and questions his reputation. Beowulf proceeds to put him in his place.
As the good will of the gathering returns,
Queen Wealhtheow passes around more
mead. Courteous and stately, adorned with
gold and jewels, she makes an impressive
appearance. She greets Beowulf and thanks God for
his arrival. Beowulf pledges to defeat Grendel that night in
the mead-hall or die trying. Hrothgar retires early. The party breaks up, but Beowulf and the Geats remain to spend the night in Heorot.
Grendel comes up from the
marsh hoping to find a human to
devour. He is delighted when he
sees several Geats sleeping in the
hall. Beowulf lies awake,
watching, as Grendel kills and
eats one of the warriors. Then
he reaches for his second kill,
Beowulf. The Geat champion
grabs hold of Grendel's claw
with the strength of 30 men and
won't let go. Grendel cannot
escape, and a vicious match
ensues, ending when Beowulf
rips Grendel's arm from its shoulder socket. Mortally wounded, Grendel flees.
Beowulf hangs the giant's claw under the roof of the mead-hall (926-983).
Warriors and chieftains from considerable distances gather at Heorot the next morning to marvel at the trophy, Grendel's claw, and to celebrate Beowulf's victory. Hrothgar's scop entertains the men with traditional songs as well as an improvised account of Beowulf's victory. Included is the story of Sigemund, an ancient hero who is recalled in honor of Beowulf. In contrast, the scop also sings of Heremod, a bad ruler who brought sorrow and death to
his own people. Hrothgar gives a speech
from the porch at Heorot and thanks God
for Beowulf's triumph. Beowulf briefly
recounts the battle, and even Unferth is
impressed enough to keep silent. Work is
begun to refurbish Heorot. A great feast is
held in Beowulf's honor at which Beowulf and his men receive numerous gifts. - End Line 1062.
She ascends from her mere and raids the hall, retrieving Grendel's claw and murderously abducting Aschere, one of the thanes. Before dawn, Beowulf and his men report to Hrothgar. The Geat hero agrees to pursue Grendel's mother. Hrothgar promises more rewards and greater fame for Beowulf. Accompanied by warriors, Hrothgar leads Beowulf to the mere that harbors the vengeful mother. It is a dark and evil place. Huge serpents and water-beasts inhabit the lake. Beowulf dresses for battle and prepares to search the lake for the enemy. Unferth humbles himself by presenting Beowulf with his great sword, Hrunting. The Geat hero speaks what may be his final
words.
On the night following Grendel's death, the warriors sleep easy in Heorot for the first time in years, confident that the terror of the ogre is behind them. They don't realize that Grendel has a living mother intent on revenge.
Beowulf dives into the mere wearing his mail-shirt and carrying Hrunting in its scabbard. Deep in the lake, the mother grasps him tightly with her claws so that he cannot draw his sword. The mail-shirt protects him even though various water-beasts thrust at him as the mother carries Beowulf to an underwater cave, which is dry and lighted by "glaring flames" (1517). Once there, Beowulf manages to mount an attack, but Hrunting is ineffective against the ogre's tough hide. Beowulf then tries to wrestle her, but he fails to gain the kind of death grip that defeated Grendel.
Although she is knocked down, the mother immediately counters Beowulf's attack. She pulls her knife, but it cannot pierce his mail-shirt. Again on his feet, Beowulf spots a huge sword made by giants. Although he can barely lift it, he manages a mighty blow that severs the mother's spine at the neck, killing her. A blessed light suddenly illuminates the cavern, revealing Grendel's corpse. Beowulf lops off the head to replace the trophy of the claw that the mother retrieved.
Amazingly, the giant sword melts except for the hilt, which Beowulf carries along with Grendel's head as he returns to the surface of the mere. Only his Geats await him. Thinking him dead, Hrothgar and the Danes have returned to Heorot.
Beowulf presents Grendel's head to Hrothgar and briefly recounts his battle with the mother. Assuring the king of Heorot's safety, he places the gold hilt of the giant sword in Hrothgar's hand. The king examines the hilt and then speaks to Beowulf, giving a sermon on the dangers of fame and success of life. Hrothgar notes that he himself had great fortune as a young man and ruled successfully for 50 years until Grendel brought him down. Now he thanks God for Beowulf's victory. The warriors feast and sleep safely. In the morning, Beowulf returns Hrunting to Unferth and receives numerous gifts before he and his men exchange farewells with the Danes and sail for home.
Beowulf and his men return to their ship and set sail for Geatland. The poet interrupts his report on Beowulf's return to discuss the Geats' Queen Hygd and the qualities of a virtuous queen as contrasted to a wicked ruler like Queen Modthrytho. After this interlude, the narrator returns to Beowulf's arrival at King Hygelac's splendid hall. Hygd passes among the thanes serving mead, reminiscent of Wealhtheow's admirable hospitality at Heorot. Hygelac asks about Beowulf's journey, and the young champion recounts his visit to the Scyldings, digressing to consider Hrothgar's attempt to make peace with the Heathobards.
Returning to his own story, Beowulf briefly reports on his victory over Grendel, the surprise attack by Grendel's mother, and his triumph at the cave beneath the mere. Beowulf presents various treasures to Hygelac and Hygd, most notably presenting the queen with the magnificent gold necklace that Wealhtheow gave him. Hygelac rewards Beowulf with a rare heirloom, a sword covered with gold. He also honors the young warrior with "lands, seven thousand hides, / a hall, and gift-throne" (2195-96). Beowulf is now a lord of the realm, but it is clear that he still owes his allegiance to Hygelac.
Years pass. Hygelac is killed in battle. His son, Heardred, inherits the throne, with Beowulf's support, but is also slain. Beowulf becomes king of the Geats and rules well for 50 years. To everyone's alarm, however, a terrifying dragon begins to stalk the countryside at night, destroying homes - including Beowulf's great hall - with his fiery breath. For 300 years, the dragon has peacefully guarded a treasure-trove, originally the riches of a now-defunct tribe but long hidden in a "high barrow-hall, / towering stone-mound" (2212-13). A lone Geat fugitive, apparently a servant or slave escaping a cruel master, has stolen a single flagon from the hoard, outraging the dragon and inciting him to vengeance.
When Beowulf hears of the dragon's night raids, the king initially wonders if he could have angered God in some way, bringing this trouble to his people. Before long, however, the aging warrior focuses on his responsibility as protector and prepares to face the monster in battle. Although he is now an old man, Beowulf believes that he can defeat the dragon by himself. He remembers victories against Grendel and Grendel's mother, as well as a heroic escape from Frisia after Hygelac was killed. Always conscious of weapons and tactics, Beowulf prepares by ordering a new shield, made of iron, since the dragon-fire would make short sparks of his usual linden-wood. Courageous and determined, if not quite the man he once was, the old warrior sets off.
With eleven of his most trusted retainers, men who have gladly accepted the gifts of a generous king, Beowulf sets out to find the dragon. Reluctantly guiding them is the fugitive who originally stole the cup from the treasure-trove. The dragon's barrow lies near the sea, between a cliff and the beach. Once there, Beowulf pauses to reflect on his life and he recalls his own glory days and the victories that he earned for his king and their people. Beowulf presents his last war speech to the select company. He will face the fire-dragon alone.
Discovering an entrance to the barrow under the stone cliff, Beowulf decides that he cannot enter due to flames already covering the passage. He calls out the dragon, and the two face off. Beowulf's new shield is less protection than he had hoped. His sword fails to penetrate the dragon's hide. Wounded and burned, the great old champion needs help. At this crucial time, all but one of his retainers abandon him, fleeing to safety in a nearby wood. Only young Wiglaf remains. Although this is his first battle, he cannot desert his king.
Wiglaf calls to the other ten retainers and reminds them of the promises that they made to Beowulf. In exchange for his protection and gifts, they all had vowed to fight for their king whenever he needed them. Even though Beowulf intended to deal with the dragon one-on-one, he now clearly needs help. The other thanes do not return.
Although he realizes that he may die in the battle, Wiglaf rushes to Beowulf's defense. Wiglaf's wooden shield burns as the dragon attacks again. The young retainer ducks behind Beowulf's iron shield, which is no great help but is better than nothing. Beowulf musters the strength to swing his mighty sword, Naegling, one last time; unfortunately, it snaps on the dragon's head. The dragon charges again, piercing Beowulf's neck with his sharp fangs. Although his hand is sorely burned, Wiglaf finds a vulnerable spot well beneath the dragon's head and thrusts his sword into the monster. The dragon's fire decreases. Beowulf rallies to use his knife and is able to cut into the monster's entrails, killing him. Realizing he is dying, Beowulf speaks his final words as Wiglaf attempts to comfort him.
Grieving over the death of Beowulf, the man who was "dearest in his life" (2822), Wiglaf bends over the corpse, gently washing his king as if hoping to restore him. The other ten retainers come out of the woods and receive a harsh lecture from their new king. Wiglaf sends a messenger to speak to other Geats who are not far away, waiting for news of the battle. The messenger reports Beowulf's death. Anticipating renewed problems with the Swedes, he recounts the history of their feud with the Geats. Sadly Wiglaf calls the company to visit Beowulf's death site where they can see the huge ("fifty foot-paces" long, 3042) body of the dragon as well as Beowulf's corpse.
Wiglaf speaks to the assembled Geats, informing them of the old king's funeral directions and setting them to work on the pyre at Whale's Cliff. With seven thanes, the new leader hauls the treasure out of the barrow. The audience learns that the cache had been cursed and is to be buried with Beowulf. The funeral pyre is immense; the grief of the old king's people is profound. One nameless woman sings a lament for the fallen hero, expressing terror at the future of the Geats without his protection. Constructing the funeral barrow takes 10 days. In it are placed Beowulf's ashes and the treasure for which he died. It is said that they lie there even now.

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The poem's begins with a brief genealogy of the Shieldings (Danes). The tribe has taken its name from Shield Shielding, a mythological hero who, many years earlier, reached their shores as a castaway babe, a foundling (a deserted or abandoned child of unknown parentage) on a ship mysteriously laden with treasure.Shield's son, Beow had a successful reign after Shield's death and sea burial.

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Anglo Saxon History and Old English Language and Literature

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annotated bibliography on your blog. 11/21

slideshow of art and architecture 11/24

Creative Writing Assignment