Middle English literatureThe term Middle English literature refers to the literature written in the form of the English language known as Middle English, from the late 12th century until the 1470s. During this time the Chancery Standard, a form of London-based English, became widespread and the printing press regularized the language. Between the 1470s and the middle of the following century there was a transition to early Modern English.
Old EnglishOld English (Englisc or Ænglisc, pronounced or ), or Anglo-Saxon, is the earliest attested form of the English language, spoken in England and southern and eastern Scotland in the Early Middle Ages. It developed from the languages brought to Great Britain by Anglo-Saxon settlers in the mid-5th century, and the first Old English literature dates from the mid-7th century.
Alliterative verseIn prosody, alliterative verse is a form of verse that uses alliteration as the principal device to indicate the underlying metrical structure, as opposed to other devices such as rhyme.
BeowulfBeowulf ( ; Old English: Bēowulf [ˈbeːowuɫf]) is an Old English poem, an epic in the tradition of Germanic heroic legend consisting of 3,182 alliterative lines, contained in the Nowell Codex. It is one of the most important and most often translated works of Old English literature. The date of composition is a matter of contention among scholars; the only certain dating is for the manuscript, which was produced between AD 975 and 1025.
BedeAnglo-Saxon monk, writer and saint (672/3–735)Bede, OSB (; Old English: Bēda; 672/3 – 26 May 735), also known as the Venerable Bede or Bede the Venerable, was a NorthumbrianBenedictine monk, author and scholar in the Kingdom of Northumbria, which encompassed modern day southern Scotland and northern England.
Cædmon's HymnCædmon's Hymn is a short Old English poem attributed to Cædmon, a supposedly illiterate and unmusical cow-herder who was, according to the Northumbrian monk Bede (d. 735), miraculously empowered to sing in honour of God the Creator. The poem is Cædmon's only surviving composition.
Ecclesiastical History of the English PeopleThe Ecclesiastical History of the English People (Latin: Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum), written by Bede in about AD 731, is a history of the Christian churches in England, and of England generally; its main focus is on the growth of Christianity. It was composed in Latin, and is believed to have been completed in 731 when Bede was approximately 59 years old.
History of Anglo-Saxon EnglandAnglo-Saxon England or early medieval England covers the period from the end of the Roman Empire's rule in Roman Britain in the 5th century until the Norman Conquest in 1066. Compared to modern England, the territory of the Anglo-Saxons stretched north to present day Lothian in southeastern Scotland, whereas it did not initially include western areas of England such as Cornwall, Herefordshire, Shropshire, Cheshire, Lancashire, and Cumbria.Early Middle AgesPeriod of European historyThe jewelled cover of the Codex Aureus of St. Emmeram, c. 870, a Carolingian Gospel BookLocationEuropeKey eventsFall of the Western Roman EmpireMigration PeriodMuslim conquest of the Iberian PeninsulaCoronation of CharlemagneViking expansionHungarian invasionsHoly Roman EmpireThe Early Middle Ages (or early medieval period), sometimes controversially referred to as the Dark Ages, is typically regarded by historians as lasting from the late 5th to the 10th century.
Church FathersThe Church Fathers, Early Church Fathers, Christian Fathers, or Fathers of the Church were ancient and influential Christian theologians and writers who established the intellectual and doctrinal foundations of Christianity.
Western canonThe Western canon is the body of high-culture literature, philosophy, art, music and architecture from the Western world, with works classified within it considered to be—and celebrated—as classics in the context of Western civilization. The concept has been discussed and debated in cultural criticism with regard to Western exceptionalism and which works constitute the canon, given the lack of official standardization of the category.
Norman ConquestThe Norman Conquest of England (or the Conquest) was an 11th-century invasion by an army made up of thousands of Norman, French, Flemish, and Breton troops, all led by the Duke of Normandy, later styled William the Conqueror. William's claim to the English throne derived from his familial relationship with the childless Anglo-Saxon king Edward the Confessor, who may have encouraged William's hopes for the throne.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.