hƿæt ƿe gardena in geardagum þeodcyninga þrym gefrunon hu ða æþelingas ellen fremedon…. For me, classic books need to be readable because I'm not studying literature at university these days. Here's the catch. Anglo-Saxon literature (or Old English literature) encompasses literature written in Anglo-Saxon (Old English) during the 600-year Anglo-Saxon period of Britain, from the mid-5th century to the Norman Conquest of 1066. Literature Online (UMass only) Poems in Old English . These works include genres such as epic poetry, hagiography, sermons, Bible translations, legal works, chronicles, riddles, and others. Course Overview.
There are many important books published decades or even centuries ago that have great significance but I'm not going to recommend them for your reading enjoyment. (Here is Harris' list of all named authors in the Old English period.) Situates Old English literary texts within a cultural framework. An innovative and intriguing introduction to Old English literature. Almost all Old English poetry is anonymous. This page focuses on the course 21L.705 Major Authors: Old English and "Beowulf" as it was taught by Associate Professor Arthur Bahr in Spring 2014.. Oral-Formulaic Theory. History of English Literature: English literature dates back exceeding five centuries.The literature not only represents authors or writers from almost every part of the world but also it had untapped almost every major genre of writings that one could possibly imagine. The major exceptions in poetry are Bede, Caedmon, Cynewulf, and King Alfred. Structured around ‘figures’ from Anglo-Saxon culture: the Vow, the Hall, the Miracle, the Pulpit, and the Scholar. Creates new connections between different genres, periods and authors. Old English Major Authors. Those are the first words of the Old English epic Beowulf, and in this class you will learn to read them. Old English literature flowered remarkably quickly after Augustine’s arrival. The Augustan Age begins in English literature, claiming comparison with the equivalent flowering under Augustus Caesar Go to Augustan age in The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature (3 ed.)