This Age
started in the fifth century when the Jutes, Angles and Saxons came to England
from Germany, defeated the English tribes and started their reign. It ended in
1066 with the Norman Conquest. The historical events which influenced the
literature of this period were:
1.
Christianity
reached England and Christianization of the pagan English tribes began. In the
7th century monasteries were established where a written literature
began. Earlier to this whatever existed as literature was oral. Alfred the
Great who reigned over England from 871 to 901 encouraged education and
supervised the compilation of The Anglo Saxon Chronicle.
Literary Works of This Period :
Beowulf, the
earliest epic of English literature, was written in this period "The
Seafarer", "The Husband's
"The Wanderer", Message", "The Wife's Lament" are among the
remarkable poems of the age. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle written in this age is
the earliest prose of English literature.
Literary Features of the Age:
Most of the
writers of this -age are unknown except Caedmon who is held to be the first
known poet of English and Bede, the first historian. Though Christianity is
traceable, paganism dominates the literary spirit of the time. Heroic deeds,
love of sea adventure, intense love of glory and savagery are the main features
of the literature of this period.
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3 comments
Write commentsIt's very helpful for me
ReplyVery easy to understand
Replysino ang sumulat sa Old English(or Anglo-Saxon)450-1066
Replypwde bigyan mo ako ng tatlong pangalan sa manunulat
^_^
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