MODULE 1

LECTURE #1.

Anglo-Saxon (Old) Literature (450-1066)

1. General Characteristics of the Anglo-Saxon Literature.

2. Christianity and the Spread of Written Culture.

3. The Writers of the Anglo-Saxon Literature (Bede “History of the English People”, Cynewulf, Caedman, King Alfred’s “Anglo-Saxon Chronicle”).

4. Old English Poetry and its main subjects (“The Seafarer”, “The Dream of the Rood”, “The Battle of Maldon”, Caedman’s Hymn).

5. Old English Riddles.

“BEOWULF” – an epic poem. Characteristics of an Epic. Primary and secondary epics.

6. The structure of “BEOWULF”. (bipartite or tripartite structure or interlace structure, rambling and dilatory narration with flash-forwards, flashbacks and digressions, juxtaposing past, present and future)

7. The figurative language of “BEOWULF” (compounding, kennings, formulas, variation, litotes, alliteration)

8. Customs and Traditions of Pre-Christian times as described in “BEOWULF”.

9. Blending of folklore motives and elements of Christianity in BEOWULF.

Caedman’s Hymn

1)

Now we must praise Heaven-Kingdom’s guardian, the Creator’s might and his mind’s plans, the work of the Glory-Father, when he of every wonder, Eternal Lord, the beginning ordained. He first created for men’s sons heaven as a roof, Holy creator; then middle-earth mankind’s Guardian, Eternal Lord, afterwards made – for men the earth, the Master Almighty.

2)

Now we must praise of heaven’s kingdom the Keeper

Of the Lord the power and his Wisdom

The work of the Glory-Father, as he of marvels each,

The Eternal Lord, the beginning established.

He first created of earth for the sons

Heaven as a roof, holy Creator.

Then middle-enclosure of mankind the Protector

The eternal Lord, thereafter made

For men, earth, the Lord almighty.

Alliteration

(A typical line in alliterative verse consisted of two half-lines separated by a strong pause; four stressed syllables and undetermined number of unstressed; The third stress always alliterates with the first or the second, the fourth never alliterates). A caesura (pause) within each line establishes the rhythm

1. /f/ The folk-kings’ former fame we have heard of;

2. /h/ Heard in his home of heroes then living;

3. /g/ Grendel came gliding - God’s wrath he bore.

An example of interlace structure (see lines 836-990 in Liuzza’s translation)

Moving through the passage we find:

Grendel’s claw (836)

The hall (836)

Grendel’s mere/Grendel’s death (837-852)

Happy retainers (853-871)

Tale of Beowulf (871-874)

Tale of Sigemund (874-897)

Tale of Beowulf (898-915)

Riders (916-920)

The hall (919-927)

Grendel’s claw (927)

Grendel’s death (930-979)

The hall (983)

Grendel’s claw (983-990)

LECTURE #2

The peculiarities and genres of the Medieval English Literature

(1066-1350 – Anglo-Norman period,

Дата добавления: 2015-08-13