The development of literature

From earliest times to 1485

1200-600 BC	Celtic tribes from continental Europe settle in Britain and Ireland.
55-50 BC	Julius Caesar leads the first Roman invasion of Britain.
AD 43-77	The emperor Claudius consolidates Roman control over England. Queen Boadicea leads her people against the Romans but is defeated.
78-142	The Romans fail to subdue the Scottish tribes. The emperor Hardian has a wall built across the north of England as a barrier against the Scots.
410-442	The Roman legions leave Britain.
442-615	The Angles, Saxons and Jutes gradually take over England.
	St. Augustine arrives in Britain and starts spreading Christianity.
856-875	The first Viking invasion of England.
900-1041	The Anglo-Saxons and the Vikings mix and live in relative peace.
	The Norman king, William I, lands in Britain with his army. At the Battle of Hastings he defeats the Anglo-Saxons, whose leader Harold II is killed. From that day on, William is known as William the Conqueror
1066-1154	Norman Kings rule the country.
	Henry II Plantagenet becomes the king of England;
	King Henry III calls the Parliament for the first time (Parliament = discussion)
	The start of the Hundred Years’ War
	The outbreak of the Black Death (the epidemic of bubonic plague reduced the population of England by a half);
1455-1485	War of Roses (the war between the House of Lancaster (a red rose) and the House of York (a white rose) for the English Crown)
	The House of York comes to the throne (Edward IV).
	The House of Lancaster secures the throne (Henry VII) – Tudor dynasty

The Old English period

(428-1100)

!Facts to remember!

400-500s A.D. Three Germanic Tribes – Angles, Saxons and Jutes spoke Anglo-Saxon (Old English)

Old English served as the chief literary language until about 1100.

Since 597- Old English was influenced by Latin.

The development of literature

Old English poetry

Beowulf

ü the most famous and the longest poem in Old English (3.182 lines)

ü an epic poem.

ü describes 2 major events in the life of the Geatish hero Beowulf:

o in his youth he fights and kills Grendel (a monster) and than his mother (a water witch);

o 50 years later, Beowulf, who has been the king of the Geats, fights a fire-dragon. Both Beowulf and the dragon are mortally wounded.

Terms explained:

Epic. C omes from the Greek word “epos” (the poet’s oral exposition).

Characteristic features:

§ recollection of glorious past;

§ vivid language;

§ supernatural elements;

§ great deeds of heroes;

§ type-scenes: banquet, battle, voyage, funeral;

§ society: aristocratic, military;

§ didactic aim.

Middle Ages

(1100-1485)

!Facts to remember!

1066-1300 The English Literature was influenced by French (Norman aristocracy spoke only

French) By about 1300 English had become the chief national language – Middle English – which included elements of French, Latin, Old English and local dialects;

1168 The first university was opened at Oxford;

1476 William Caxton introduced printing in England;

The development of literature

The main characteristic features of the period:

Ø The development of English romances;

Ø The development of English fables (short stories with animals as characters);

Ø The development of English ballads.

Terms explained: Romance – a form of narrative poetry. (The plot centers around a single knight who fights to win the heart of his lady)

1155 – A Norman poet Wace mentioned the knights of the Round Table and King Arthur for the first time

Geoffrey Chaucer (1343-1400) The Canterbury Tales;

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