1 charakterystyka OLD ENGLISH od Dawida
1.1. Secular poetry
Beowulf - epic poem, it belongs to
The same group al `Iliad' and `Odyssey'-
Serious work, large in characters, events
Setting and effect:
-large in events- is narrated
-large in settings-not confined to one place
-large in effects- lots of ornaments to
impress readers.
Widsith - “the far journey” it's also the
Name Of the author (the far traveler),
Much Shorter than “Beowulf”, 143 lines
long-comes from “The Exeter Manuscript”,
has some historical importance-it's not
a chronical, it's not historical poem
but contains some part of history,
author is not reliable chronicler,
he confuses history.
The Wanderer- 115lines, comes
from The Exeter Manuscript, author
is unknown, tells of his los (he
Lost his lord, he has to find a new
home),He's on the boat surrounded
by the frozen water; He has a dream
in which he sees his old lord, When he
wakes up he sees fellow waves all
around And his sorrow is greater,
he or somebody else Makes general
comments on the transience of
Human life, life is short, men is
doomed to dir, There's no escape
from Wyrd (fate), we can only See
consolation in God.
The Seafarer- monologue, title speaker
Enumerates Both the mistakes and
tractions of the sea life or May be a
dialogue in which an old sailor Talks to
a young man willing to go to sea;
He calls his ship a house of sorrow, life of
The sailor is compared with the life of
the landsman, Life on the sailor is
better: he is closer to God than Landsman,
he knows that he can perish in any time
So he thinks often about God; in the second
part There are reflections about death and life
The battle of Maldon”-war poem,
Describes a real event, a battle took
Place in the year 991, a band of Viking
Invader landed in the estuary of river
Panta and they invaded Kingdom of
Essex. Invaders demanded a ransom
Of gold but it was refused. Byrhtnoth-
Saxons leader, Athelred- king of Essex
Byrhtnoth dies, before it he prays. This
Poem is improtatnt: it may be treated
As a first breath of chivalry, this poem
Antedates medieval, chivalric romances.
It may be treated as a forerunner,
Precursor, antecedent. We find in it
A very important chivalric virtues: bravery,
Courage, loyalty, sacrifice.
1.2 Religious poetry:
Cademon- Bead(the historian) tells us that
Cademon was a simple shepherd, he was
untalented, he couldn't sing any song, and
when shepherd was enjoying themselves he
left the company; once he had a dream-
he saw a strenger who stood by him and said:
Cademon sing me something, he answered:
I can't sing, stranger said; Yet you
must sing to me, sing me the origin
of world/things. Cademon started
singing a hymn in prise of God Creator.
“cademon's hymn” 9lines long, series
of kennings prasing the wisdom of God,
his benevolence; hymn Is a solemn song of
praise of religious or patriotic content.
“the genesis poem”- author unknown,
consist of 2parts: Genesis A and Genesis B.
A is earlier, composed 8th cent; Describes
a war in heaven, and the act of creation,
Paraphrases a” Book of Genesis”. B is later
written in 9th cent It comes in the middle
of gen.A, It's 600lines long, Middle part of
whole poem, present Satan(defiant, powerful
Spirit, challenging God's authority) and the
temptation of EveA and B differ in metre,
style and vocabulary.
“The dream of the Rood”- probably
Written By Cynewulf, in the first part
the author tells Us about dream
in which he saw the holly Cross, next
the cross begins to speak his own
Voice relating to the poet it's story-
About His humiliation-it was used
as an instrument To punish felons,
next it's speaks of its Humility, Jesus
was crucified on him, next Cross
speaks of his pride as a tree of glory
As a symbol of Christ's redemption of
Mankid, after that the dreamer wakes up
And he claims he is now a different man
Better Christian, he has a hope of
Salvation, he claims he will follow
The holly cross throughout his life.
“
1.3 OSOBY OLD ENGLISH PROSE
Bede- was a clergymen, was called: The
Venerable Bede, Bede Venerabilis. Most
Important work: " Historia Ecclesiastica
Gentis Anglorum” written in Latin,
Monumental story, history starting from
The invasion of Julius Caesar at 1st cent.BC
In covers a very ong span of time-8th cent
To 731.
King Alfred- ruler of Wessex, completed the
Task of uniting kingdoms into one; King
Alfred the Great-learned, laic man, was a
Translator( from Latin into English), most
Important work: “The Anglo-Saxon
Chronicle”. He died in 901 but his history
Continued to be reported, he deserves
The title of father of English prose.
2. THE EARLY MIDDLE ENGLISH
2.1 .daty i osoby
1066-date of the Norman conquest, in
This year William Duke landed in the
South-east coast of England, defeated
Anglo-Saxons at the battle of Hastings.
At the end of this year William became
A king of England, known as William
The Conqueror.
1154-Henry II Angerin, new dynasty
Angerin (Andegaweńska), he was a
Conqueror of Ireland. In the last decade
Of 12th century we have Richard I -
Richard The Lion Hearr-ed, was a great
Knight, took part in 3rd Crusade and he
Popularised the spirit of chivalry.
King John the Lackland- brother of Richard I,
Greedy man, introduced numerous taxes,
He was forded to sign important document
in 1215, Magina Charta Liberatum (Wielka
karta swobód. It marks beginning of
parliament rule.
2.2 evoluiton of Eng Lg,
Middle eng lit into 3 stages
Stage and its poetry
2.3 religious poetry
“I Sing of Maiden”- anonymous author, the
Mystery of Jesus to the appearance of dew-
Very delicate, fine comparison, which
Suggested mystery.
I uzupelnic
2.4 romance
2.5 the ballad
2.6 chronicles in verse
2.7 allegorical poetry
“The Owl and the Nightingale” - two birds
Meet to speak to each other, they beginning
To quarrel, owl is criticized for its bad singing,
Owl replies that its singing its useful; it
Regulates the time, it gives signal to people
When they should go to sleep, wake up;
The meaning- although the song of nightingale
Is beautiful, it is vain and useless, the broader
Meaning is that “ not all glitters is gold”, we
Shouldn't judge by appearance.
“The Pearl” -allegory from group of three
Poems. Author unknown, he is refered
As the pearl Poet. Poem counts about 100
Stanzas/ Pearl is a woman she is author's
Daughter. Author has lost pearl in a garden
He is depressed because of his lost, in
This garden she is buried, there is her grave,
He lost her when she was a child (treny
Kochanowskiego), father is recalling her,
The poet lied down on the ground-
On the grave of his beloved pearl. He fall
Asleep and has a dream in which he
Sees his daughter, She assured him
That she is really happy, she talks to
Him, poet wants to join her but there is
A stream separating them, he wants to
Cross it, he plunges in the water and
Wakes up- the vision has gone. Father
Says about himself: a joyless jeweler.
2.8 Early medival prose
Geofrfrey of Monmouth- chronicler, he
wrote in Latin his great work “Historia
regum Britaniae”, “History of British rulers”,
he included on his list of the early British
kings king Arthur.
Richard Poor- bishop of Salisbury, composed a
Kind of manual, very practical guide “ The Rule
Of Anchoresses”. There was real community
Of anchoresses. He presents it as birds, they
Left earth and rise to sky. They have to come
Back to earth from time to time, they are not
Safe here, they have to come back because
Of bodily needs.
2.9 lyric - dawid str 8
2.10 age of Chaucer
Geoffrey Chaucer- the most important writer
On the whole Middle Engl. Period. Middle class
Man, his father was a merchant. He become
Royal favorite after war with France,
He distinguish himself during the war; he
Travelled through continent, he learned foreign
Languages
. -French stage- he imitated French masters, best
Known stage “The Romance of the rose”
-Italian stage-influenced by Italian masters:
Boccaccio “Decameron”. In this period his
Greats work is “Troilus and Criseyde”- love
Poem featuring a triangle of lovers, third hero
Is a Phitantus, the background of the poem is
The siege of Troy and Greeks- Trojan war. Wrote
In rhyme royal- deca syllabic 7lined stanza,
Rhyming ABABBCC.
- English stage- composed The Canterbury Tales
“the Canterbury tales”- pilgrims traveled
To Canterbury to visit the tomb of saint
Thomas Becke-local bishop who was
Murdered in his cathedral by king henry II.
They were written in heroic couplets iambic
Pentameter. Tales are preceded by General P
Prologue- Chaucer presents his pilgrims one by
One: 1. Knight,2. Squire,3. Yeoman, 4. Prioress
5.another Nun, 6.Monk,7.Friar,8.Merchant, 9.Clerk,
10. Sergeant of the law, 11.Franklin,
12.haberdasher, 13.Carpenter,
14. Weaver,15. Dyer,16. Tapestry maker,
17.Cook, 18. Shipman,19.Doctor of physic
20.Godd wife from bath,21.parson,
22.Ployghman,23.Reere,24.Miller
25.Summoner,26.Pardoner,27.Manciple
28.Chaucer,29.Host of tabard Inn.
PLOUHMAN - TENNAT FARMER 22
2.11 THE REMAINING POETS
William Langland-composed an allegorical poem
“Piers Plowman” (peter the ploughman). There are
Three version of this poem. Marked ABC, William
Composed A version. Ver B and C were composed
By other poets.
John Gower- composed poetry of the common
Allegorical type, he composed in three languages
English French and Latin.
Prose writers in the age of Chaucer:
1)John Wycliffe- clergyman, criticized abuses
Of the clergy. Best known work wrote in Latin
“De Domino Divino”
2)Sir John Mandeville- English knight, and that
He travelled, came from France. Composed a
Book of travel, composed in French,
Quickly translated into many languages.
3. The late middle english
3.1 czasy
1381- The Peasant revolution
1399- change of dynasty, Lancastrian,
Henry IV
1455/85- The War of the Roses- war
Of the succession to the throne,
Fought between the house of Lancaster
(red rose) and York (white rose), the victor
Was Henry Tudor VII, crowned in 1485
The end of Middle English Period of literat.
3.2 osoby
3.3 dramt 3 kinds
3.4 prose-osoby
Sir Thomas Malroy- most life spent in prison
He took part in a war of Roses. Wrote “Le
Morte d'Arthur”-shows last phase in the
Life of King Arthur and the knights of Round
Table. Different romance compared with earlier
Medival romances. Malroy's romance is closer
To life. -dokonczyc
W,CAXTON - DAWID STR 9
4.RENAISSANCE (1485-1603)
4.1 daty
. 1453- marks the fall of Constantinople,
Beginning of renaissance; after the town fell
To the Turks great number of Greek, emigrants
Appeared in Europe, they were generally
Learned men.
1475/6- William Caxton went to Germany
To study the newly ivented art of printing,
He set up his printing press at Burges(Belgium),
Where on which he printed his own translation
of the French “Troy” book- first book printed
in English.
1485- end of the War of Roses, beginning of
New dynasty- Tudor: Henry VII, Henry VIII,
Elizabeth.
1492- Christopher Columbus discovered America.
1497- Vasco da Gamma reached India by
Sailing around the cape of good hope.