Title: Early British Literature
1Early British Literature
- The Celts and the Anglo-Saxons
2Old Irish Literature
3Irish Literature
- Ireland has the oldest vernacular tradition of
literature in Europe with written texts dating
from the 6th c. - Old Irish before 900
- Middle Irish 900-1350
- Late Middle/Early Modern Irish 1350-1650
- Modern Irish and Scots 1650-present
4Old Irish Literature
- The oldest writings are poems written in the
margins of 6th c. continental manuscripts short
lyrics on religious or nature themes. - The early literature has survived in Middle and
Late Middle Irish manuscripts miscellaneous
collections of prose and verse containing legend
history bardic and lyric poetry and medical
legal and religious texts from several periods
5Major Irish Medieval MSS.
- The Book of the Dun Cow (before 1106) contains
tales of the Ulster Cycle and Fenian legends - The Book of Leinster (before 1160) contains
heroic legends - The Yellow Book of Lecan The Great Book of
LecanThe Lebor Brecc and the Book of Lismore
(late 14th or early 15th c.) - The Royal Irish Academy alone has more than 1300
mss. mostly religious historical and legal
treatises
Leabhar na hUidre Book of the Dun Cow p.73
6Tain Bo Cuailinge The Cattle Raid of Cooley from
The Book of the Dun Cow
7Filí (Old Irish) File (Mod. Irish)
- The filí (filíd pl.) in the earliest times
combined the functions of magician lawgiver
judge counselor to the chief and poet. - Later but still at a very early time the
offices seem to have been divided Brehons
devoted themselves to the study of law and the
giving of legal decisions Druids
claimed the supernatural functions and priestly
offices Filíd were principally poets
and philosophers - The division seems to have already existed in
Ireland at the time of St Patrick who was in
constant opposition with the druids. - Filíd underwent years of training to compose in
verse the laws genealogies legends and
traditions.
8Bards
- In Old Irish culture the bards were the
performers of the filíds poems - They were record keepers and lineage holders for
the bards could determine a kings legitimacy. - To satirize a king was to declare his access to
the throne suspect. - The role of the bard was historian and social
commentator. They glorified heroes while
insulting cowards and villains. - They were both the newspaper and the opinion
page.
9MACSWEENEY DINES AS BARD RECITES The work of
the file or poet was recited to the accompaniment
of a stringed instrument. . . .The reacaire or
reciter bard was a subordinate employee of the
composer who sat by the chieftain (his patron)
enjoying his own composition. Declan Kiberd
Irish Literature and Irish History in The
Oxford Illustrated History of Irieland ed. R. F.
Foster (1989)
10Welsh Literature
- Although the earliest Welsh manuscripts date from
the 12th c. the earliest poetry comes from the
6th c. - Before 1100 Y Cynfeirdd (The earliest poets)
or Yr Hengerdd (The old poetry) - The core tradition was praise poetry and the
reliance on patronage from kings princes and
nobles. - The other aspect of the tradition was the
professionalism of the poets sustained by a Guild
of Poets or Order of Bards with a rule book
emphasizing the making of poetry as a craft.
Under its rules poets undertook an apprenticeship
of nine years to become fully qualified.
11Welsh Poets
- Nennius Historia Britonum list poets active
during the reign of King Ida (547-59)At that
time Talhaiarn Tataguen was famed for poetry
and Neirin Aneirin and Taliesin and
Bluchbard and Cian who is called Guenith Guaut
were all famous at the same time in British that
is Brythonic or Welsh poetry. - Poems by Taliesin and Aneirin are believed to
have survived in the Book of Taliesin and Y
Gododdin Aneirins epic of a battle between the
Celts and the Saxons.
12RomanBritain1st-5th c.
135th Century Celtic Disarray
- 408 Devastating attacks by Picts Scots and
Saxons led Britain to declare independence from
Rome in 410. - 440-450 Civil war and famine in Britain.
Country divided along factional lines - 445 Vortigen authorized use of Saxon
mercenaries against Scots and Picts - 450 adventus Saxonum Hengest arrived with 3
ships of warriors. Saxons increased settlements.
14Anglo-Saxon Literature
15The Kingdoms of Anglo-Saxon England
16Anglo-Saxon Royal Genealogy
17(No Transcript)
18House of Wessex
Wessex West Saxons
19England as a Nation
- Bede may have been the first writer to articulate
the idea of the English as one people in 732 in
his History of the English Church and People. - Viking Invasions
- Destroyed kingdoms of Northumbria and East Angles
in the 860s - Wessex emerged as the power that defeated the
Vikings under Alfred the Great - 878 Alfred defeated the Vikings at Edington
- At his death in 899 Alfred was the most powerful
regional king in England
20Wessex Dynasty
- Edward the Elder (r. 899-924) succeeded his
father Alfred and conquered the Midlands and East
Anglia. - His son Athelstan (r. 924-40) brought the
Scots the Welsh the Cumbrians and the Cornish
under English rule by 928 he became King of all
England and Emperor of the World of Britain.
21House of Wessex
E or A Æ
Coin from King Edgars reign
Canute of Denmark 1016-1035
Ælgifu
Harthacanute Harold I 1040-42
1036-40
Alfred1035-36
22Genres Prose
- Sermons most popular of prose genres
- Translations of Latin religious works and
Biblical works - Saints Lives
- Legal texts wills records deeds laws etc.
- Scientific and Medical texts
- Chronicles historical writing Anglo Saxon
Chronicle
23The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
- Collection of annals (yearly history) narrating
the history of the Anglo-Saxon settlement in
Britain. - First continuous history written by Europeans in
their own language. - Probably begun during the reign of King Alfred in
the 9th c. - After completion of the original chronicle
copies were sent to monasteries and updated
yearly. - Nine surviving MSS.
The initial page of the Peterborough Chronicle
24Known A-S Prose Writers
- King Alfred (849-99) attributed with translating
a variety of Latin works such as Gregorys
Pastoral Care Augustines Soliloquies and
Boethiuss Consolation of Philosophy. - Aelfric abbot of Eynsham (955-1020) known as
Grammaticus greatest writer of A-S sermons
saints lives and Biblical glosses and
translations. - Wulfstan II archbishop of York (10th c.) author
of highly stylistic sermons and clerical legal
texts.
25Genres Poetry
- Thula alliterative lists of names or tribes
- Gnomic verse proverbs traditional wisdom
- Spells invoke natural and supernatural powers
- Riddles what am I
- Religious poetry retellings of Old Testament
stories saints lives Dream of the Rood - Adaptations of classical philosophical texts
e.g. Boethius Consolation of Philosophy - Wisdom poetry lyrical meditative elegiac
The Wanderer The Wifes Lament etc. - Heroic court poetry celebration of historical
events related by scops Beowulf etc.
26Manuscripts with Anglo-Saxon Poetry
- Exeter Book Codex Exoniensis 10th c. ms.
- Largest existing collection of Old English poetry
- donated to the library of the Exeter Cathedral by
Leofric the first bishop of Exeter - Contains The Wanderer The Seafarer The
Wifes Lament Widsith The Ruin Deor
etc. - Junius MS. begun c. 1000 ce
- Anthology of religious poetry Genesis Exodus
Daniel Christ and Satan - Illustrated only about one-third of
illustrations completed - Bodleian Library Oxford University
27Junius MS Angel Guarding the Gates of Paradise
28Manuscripts with Anglo-Saxon Poetry
- Vercelli Book 10th c. ms.
- Cathedral Library Vercelli Italy
- Contains 23 prose sermons a life of St. Guthlac
and six poems including The Dream of the Rood - Nowell Codex Cotton Vitellius A xv late
10th-12th c. mss. - British Librarys Cotton Collection
- Composite of two mss. Bound together in the 17th
c. damaged in an 18th c. fire in the Cotton
Library - 1st Codex (12th c) Old English prose Alfreds
translation of Augustines Soliloquies the
Gospel of Nicodemus Solomon and Saturn and a
fragment of a life of Saint Quentin. - 2nd Codex (10th c) Beowulf Judith and 3 prose
works
29First page of Beowulf from the Cotton Vitellius
MS.
30Beowulf Prologue
31What are those weird-looking letters
Omniglot
32Poetry
- Thula
- Alliterative lists of names and tribes
- Oral mnemonic device
- Found extensively in Widsith
- Technique also found in Old Testament
-
- Gnomic Verse
- Proverbs traditional wisdom
- Hit becwæÞ It is said
- As the sea is smooth when storms are at rest So
people are quiet when peace is proclaimed.
(Exeter Book)
33Riddles
The Anchor
- I war with the wind with the waves I wrestle I
must battle with both when the bottom I seek My
strange habitation by surges oer-roofed. I am
strong in the strife while still I remain As
soon as I stir they are stronger than I. They
wrench and they wrest till I run from my foes
What was put in my keeping they carry away. If
my back be not broken I baffle them still. The
rocks are my helpers when hard I am pressed
Grimly I grip them. Guess what Im called.
The Exeter Book
34Spells and Charms
Charm for a Swarm of Bees Take earth with your
right hand and throw it under your right foot
saying Ive got it Ive found itLo
earth masters all creatures it masters
evil it masters deceit it masters
humanitys greedy tongue. Throw light soil
over them the bees as they swarm saying Sit
wise women settle on earth never in fear
fly to the woods. Please be mindful of
my welfare as all men are of food and land.
Trans. Karl Young
35Known A-S Poets
- Cædmon herdsman attached to the Whitby monastery
during the abbacy of St. Hilda (657681). Author
of Hymn oldest A-S poem - The Venerable Bede (c. 672-735) Benedictine monk
at Jarrow author of the Historia Ecclesiastica
The History of the Church of England and Bedes
Death Song - Cynewulf (fl. ca. 750) author of four poems
Christian narratives Elene Christ II Juliana
and The Fates of the Apostles. - King Alfred (849-99)
Depiction of Cædmon carved on a stone memorial
cross on the grounds of St Marys Church in Whitby
36Bedes Death Song
Fore ðæm nedfere nænig wiorðeðonc snottora ðon
him ðearf siæto ymbhycgenne ær his hiniongehwæt
his gastæ godes oððe yflesæfter deað dæge doemed
wiorðe.
Facing that enforced journey no man can beMore
prudent than he has good call to beIf he
consider before his going henceWhat for his
spirit of good hap or of evilAfter his day of
death shall be determined.
Beda Venerabilis from an medieval manuscript
37Anglo-Saxon Poetic Conventions
- Elegiac mood the transitoriness of life
- Ubi sunt Where are they
- Heroic mode active loyal to kinship group
boastful - The inevitability of Wyrd fate
- Figures of speech
- Kennings two words as metaphor for one
hron-rade whale-road sea hord-cofan
word-hoard mind thoughts - Litotes ironic understatement -- That sword
was not useless / to the warrior now. (Beowulf) - Variation parallel appositive phrases see
Cædmons Hymn - Alliterative verse alliteration is used as the
principal device to unify lines of poetry
38Beowulf Prologue Alliteration
39Wisdom Poetry
- Lyrical expressions of feelings meditations on
life - Emphasis on transitoriness of fame glory
kinship life itself ubi sunt theme - Boethian in exploration of fickle
fortuneBoethius author of The Consolation of
Philosophy - Most found in Exeter Book The Ruin The
Wanderer The Seafarer The Wifes Lament
The Husbands Message - King Alfred author of Lays of Boethius
40Heroic Court Poetry
- Narrative oral compositions handed down from
generation to generation - Interactive warriors in the audience were given
their turns to boast to proclaim their
self-worth in a stylized solo declamation which
all recognized as a beot or gilph (boast). - Celebrations or commemorations of cultural heroes
and historic events - Sung at court feasts which also included mead
drinking gift giving harp playing and
displaying of trophies
41Anglo-Saxon Heroic Poems
- Beowulf (c. 700-1000)
- Fragments The Fight at Finnsburh and Waldere
- The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle contains various heroic
poems inserted throughout. - 937 The Battle of Brunanburh celebrates the
victory of King Athelstan over the Scots and
Norse. - Five shorter poems capture of the Five Boroughs
(942) coronation of King Edgar (973) death of
King Edgar (975) death of Prince Alfred (1036)
and death of King Edward the Confessor (1065).
42The Scop
- Court singer
- Historian
- Genealogist
- Teacher
- Composer
- Critic
- Warrior
- Reporter
- The Anglo-Saxon scop was a professional or
semi-professional tribal poet who celebrated
cultural values by singing epics on occasions of
great ceremony and festivity. He was a man of
repute the equal of thanes. - Anglo-Saxon Scops