BACHELOR OF SECONDARY EDUCATION MAJOR IN

ENGLISH II
Course

Subject Survey of English and American Literature

Unit 1:
Module Title
An Introduction to English American Literature

SOUTHERN LUZON TECHNOLOGICAL COLLEGE

FOUNDATION PIONDURAN INC.

Page | 1
 BACHELOR OF SECONDARY EDUCATION MAJOR IN ENGLISH
(BSED III) MODULAR LEARNING MATERIALS

SUBJECT CODE MC LIT 05

SUBJECT DESCRIPTION Survey of English- American Literature

SUBJECT UNIT 3

Course Description
▪ This engages you as a pre-service teacher in a historical survey of
selected literary works produced by understanding English and
American Literatures from its beginnings to the 21st century. This
way, you will be able to demonstrate content knowledge and
application of English and American literature and use the English
language within the context of literature and English language
teaching.

LIST OF MODULES

MODULE
ENGLISH LITERATURE: THE BEGINNING
1:

Lesson 1 THE OLD ENGLISH PERIOD

Lesson 2 THE MIDDLE ENGLISH PERIOD

Lesson 3 THE RENAISSANCE IN ENGLAND

Page | 2
 MODULE 1: ENGLISH LITERATURE:
THE BEGINNING

“The history of American Literature is the literature of American

History.”

Lesson 1:

THE OLD
-
ENGLISH PERIOD

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Discuss the history of American literature.

Realize the life connection of the given literary piece.

INTRODUCTION
Literature is a “window to culture,” that is, reading a literary work
vicariously immerse you into the world it depicts, involving you with its
characters, setting, plot, themes, and language. It, is whether narrative
(short story, novel, poem) or dramatic (play), provides a stage where you
can be involve with the attitudes and thoughts of the characters.

American Literature is the literary area which contains many of the

most renowned writers in English. Although it is the literary area of
America, its literary tradition begins with the tradition of British
Literature. But now it has its own literary tradition. Most of the American
writers proved that their novels are the reflection of the society in which
they are grown up.

Page | 3
 Like other national literatures, American literature was shaped by
the history of the country that produced it. For almost a century and a
half, America was merely a group of colonies scattered along the eastern
seaboard of the North American continent, colonies from which a few
hardy souls tentatively ventured westward. After a successful rebellion
against the motherland, America became the United States, a nation. By
the end of the 19th century this nation extended southward to the Gulf of
Mexico, northward to the 49th parallel, and westward to the Pacific. By
the end of the 19th century, too, it had taken its place among the powers
of the world—its fortunes so interrelated with those of other nations that
inevitably it became involved in two world wars and, following these
conflicts, with the problems of Europe and East Asia. Meanwhile, the rise
of science and industry, as well as changes in ways of thinking and feeling,
wrought many modifications in people’s lives. All these factors in the
development of the United States molded the literature of the country.

LET’S PRACTICE READING…

We first hear of Great Britain in 55 B.C. when Julius Caesar crossed the
English Channel and found the land occupied by a peace-loving, agricultural
people called Celts. It was only in A.D 43, however, when the Romans under
Emperor Claudius actually conquered the island.

In 449, waves of invasion from the European continent took place in the land.
The invaders belonged to various Germanic tribes inhabiting the shores of the
Danish peninsula and the southern tip of Scandinavia. These Teutonic tribes
were divided into two social classes:
→ the earl, the ruling class
→ the churl, who traced his ancestry to some war captive of the tribe.
*the earl was deeply loyal to his king, who was a brave and revered leader in times of war, and in times of
peace, a wise judge and a generous giver of material rewards for services rendered.

The social system was very simple. Justice was founded on the spirit of
‘‘an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth,” But this was softened by a system of
“blood money” whereby a fine could be given by the killer to a family of the man
he killed. In those troubled times when might was right, the warrior was the
most important human being. War was the general way of life.

The churl tilled the soil, hunted, and finished for his earl to whom his
services were bound by a special favor. He could attain the status of a freeman,
but the freemen were few. The churls far outnumbered the earls and constituted
the submerged multitude who toiled and lived and died in silence. Even less
important in this primitive society were the women, who were considered
valuable only for domestic duties and as marriageable commodities or purely
decorative elements of society. It was solely a man’s world; the code followed was
a warrior’s code of pride, loyalty, courage to one’s king. To this code, all the earls
and thanes (noble followers) were bound.

But early in the history of England, another individual came into view- one who
was to affect the life of England. This individual was the priest, who was the

Page | 4
bringer of this new world of knowledge and culture. Christianity was kept alive
by the zeal of Irish missionaries. In 597, Pope Gregory the Great sent St. Agustine
as a missionary to England.

*There is only one full-length folk epic that has survived English literature. This is the epic of Beowulf. It is the
best example of warrior literature. Its author is unknown.

The Story of Beowulf

A Summary

At a time when the Spear-Danes

were without o king, a ship came
sailing into the harbor. It was filled
with treasures and weapons of war;
and in the midst of these warlike things
was a baby steeping. The ship came of
itself bringing the child whose name was
Scyfd.

Scyld grew and became a mighty warrior and led the Spear-Danes for
many years as their king. He had a son named Beowulf, who became o great
warrior and king.

Our story begins with Hrothgar, king of the Danes, a descendant of

Scyld. Hrothgar, in his old age, built a splendid hall where his thanes (noble
followers) gathered nightly to feast and listen to the songs of the gleemen
(minstrels). This halt was called Heorot.

One night, as all were sleeping, a frightful monstert Grendel, broke

into the hall, killing and carrying away with him thirty of the sleeping
warriors to devour them in his lair in the sea. Nightly the visit was repeated
and fear and death came over Heorot. The warriors tried to fight the
monster, but no weapon could harm it. This situation continued for twelve
years.

At last the rumor about Grendel reached a young hero named

Beowulf, whose uncle, King Hyegelac, ruled over the Geats. Beowulf was a
man of immense strength and courage. When he heard the story of Heorot,
he decided to fight the monster and free the Danes, who were his father's
friends. With fourteen companions he crossed the sea to liberate the
Danes.

Page | 5
 Beowulf was welcomed in Heorot with
feasting and storytelling. But when night fell,
the fear of Grendel fell upon the Danes, and all
left the hall offer King Hrothgor had warned
Beowulf about the frightful danger of sleeping
in the hall. Beowulf ex. pressed his intention of
remaining in the hall with his men, proudly
saying that since weapons had no effect upon
Grendel, he would fight the monster with his
bare hands. His men stayed with him to spend
the night in Heorot.
At midnight Grendel came bursting the
door inwards, laughing at the thought of the
feast of men flesh before him. He seized one of
Beowuls warriors, crushed his head, tore him
from limb to limb, and swallowed him. Beowulf
watched the monster approach the bench where
he lay and as Grendel drew near, he reached out
to grab the hero. Beowulf grabbed and clutched
the monster's arm in a grip of steel. Terror
struck the monster, and he tried to flee from
Beowulfs clutch. Tables were overturned,
benches were ripped from the walls; the whole
building rocked as the two struggled.
Outside, the Danes stood shivering and
quaking at the uproar. In the monster's attempt
to get away from Beowulf, the sinews of his arm
snapped; a wide wound opened on his side, and
the whole arm was wrenched off to the shoulder.
Grendel escaped to his sea home to die,
shrieking and howling in pain. Beowulf hung
the monster's arm on o beam on the roof. The
Danes came and everyone rejoiced in Beowulf's
victory.
That night o great feast was held to honor
Beowulf, and the Danes once more slept in
Heorot. But the mother of Grendel, an equally
horrible monster, came and again, like her son,
carried off Hrothgar's men. The old scenes of
sorrow were renewed in the morning, so
Beowulf determined to kill Grendel's mother,
He followed the tracks of the monster across
the fen to an inland sea and dove into the dull,
murky waters. Grendel's mother rushed at him,
crushing him' down. She bit One clawed at him, but
his thick, strong armor saved him. On a wall of the
cave Beowulf caught sight of a magic sword.
Snatching it, Beowulf swung it at the monster and
killed her. He saw her dead before him and as he
cut off the monster's head, the magic sword melted
in his hands.

Page | 6
 The poem ends with Beowulf's last adventure.
Beowulf, now an old man, had reigned for fifty
years, greatly beloved by his people One of his
subjects had stumbled upon a great treasure
guarded by a dragon. The man had seen the
treasures and had taken a beautiful vase away with
him. That same night the dragon, belching fire and
smoke; descended upon a village and killed all the
inhabitants. Again, Beowulf went forth to champion
his people. In this fight with the dragon, Beowulf
fought the fire-breathing dragon, and although he
slew the dragon, he swallowed some of the fire. He
met his death amidst the enormous treasures of the
dragon, He was buried in sorrow and received
signal honors from his men.
—Abridged translation from the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

LET’S SEE WHAT YOU LEARN…

Activity 1: Answer the following briefly. (20 points)

1. After reading the story of Beowulf, hat would you say were the qualities
deeply esteemed by the people of those times?

2. Would these qualities be equally esteemed in our times? Why?

3. Beowulf was a good leader. What qualities would you demand from a
national leader? Specially that the 2022 Election is fast approaching.

4. What quality/qualities of Beowulf would be worthy of emulation by

ordinary citizens?

Page | 7
 LET’S TALK…

ELEGIAC LYRICS OF THE PAGAN AGE

The Pagan Age gave old English literature both the epic and elegiac lyrics. An
example of elegiac lyric is the poem “The Ruined City.”

This elegiac poem seems to have been part of a larger poem of unknown date. It
might have referred to the old city of Bath, famous for its many stately
bathhouses patronized by men of power. It was said to have been plundered by
the Anglo-Saxons in A:D.577. The poem was written by an anonymous author.

The Ruined City

Wondrously wroughtl and fair its wall of stone,
Shattered2 by Fate, the castle rent asunder,
The work of giants mouldereth away.
Its roofs are breaking and falling, its towers crumble in ruins.
Plundered those walls with grated doors, their mortar white with frost.
Its battered ramparts3 are shorn away and ruined, all undermined by eating age. The mighty men that
built it, departed hence, undone by death, are held fast in earth's embrace. Tight is the clutch of the
grave, while overhead for living men a hundred generations pass away.

Long this red wall, now mossy gray, withstood,

While kingdom followed kingdom in the land,
Unshaken, Neath the storms of heaven—yet now
Its towering gates have fallen:..
LET’S SEE WHAT YOU LEARN…
Radiant the mead-halls in that city bright.
Yes; many were its baths, high rose its walls Activity 2: Answer the following briefly.(15 points)
Of horned pinnacles, while loud within
1. What are some reasons for homes or cities
Was heard the Joyous revelry of men; to be destroyed?
Till mighty Fate came with her sudden change!
Wide Wasting was the bottle where they fell,
Plague-laden days upon the city came.
Death snatched away that mighty host of men. .. 2. Have you experienced any calamities in
your hometown or city? A calamity can be
There in the olden time full many a thane, caused by the environment or it can also
with gold, all gloriously adorned, be caused by people.
Haughty in heart, rejoiced when hot with wine.
Upon him gleamed his armor, and he gazed
On gold and silver and all precious gems, on riches 3. If, in the distant future, Pioduran should
become a ruined city, what could future
and on wealth and treasured jewels.
archeologist learn about Pioduranons and
A radiant city in a kingdom wide. their way of life after studying the ruins?
There stood the courts of stone, proudly within,
The steam flowed with its mighty surge, the wall
Surrounded all with its bright bosom,
there The baths stood, hot within its heart...
—Translated from the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

Page | 8
 The Contribution of the Priest to Early
English Literature
The priest was, by the nature of his work, also a teacher, and intellectual
interested in literature. Some of the priest were scholars. One such priest was
the Venerable Bede, who wrote the Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation,
a combination of historical and legendary material.

From Bede we get the history of Caedmon, which reads as follows in a

modern English Translation of Bede’s Latin.

THE HISTORY OF CAEDMON

There was in the monastery of this abbess a certain brother particularly remarkable for the grace
of God, who was in the habit of making pious and religious verses. Whatever was read or explained to
him out of the Scriptures, he put into poetical expression of such sweetness that those who read them
were inspired to renounce 'he world and aspire to heaven. He did not learn the OH Of poetry from man
but from God, and this is how it happened.
He was well-advanced in years; he had learned nothing about versifying, for which reason,
being sometimes at entertainments when it was agreed that for the sake of entertainment all should
sing in turn, when he saw the instrument come toward him, he rose from the table and left. Having
done so at a certain time, and gone 00t of the house where the entertainment was, at the stable where
he prepared himself to rest, a person appeared to him in his sleep and calling him by name said,
"Caedmon, sing some song to me."
He answered, "l cannot sing, for that was the reason why I left the entertainment and retired to
this place because I could not sing." The one who talked to him replied, "However, you shall sing.”
“what shall I sing? asked Caedmon. "Sing of the beginning of created beings," said the other. Hereupon
he began to sing verses in praise of God, which he had never heard, the purport of which was thus:
"We are now to praise the Maker of the heavenly kingdom, the power of the Creator and His council,
the deeds of the Power of Glory. He, being the eternal God, became the author of all miracles. As the
Almighty preserves the human race, He created heaven for the sons of men as the roof of the house
and next to earth." (This is the sense, but not the words as he sang them in his sleep; for verses, though
never so well composed, cannot be literally translated from one language to another without losing
much of their beauty and loftiness.) Awakening from his sleep, he remembered all that he had sung in
his dream and so added much more to the some effect in verses worthy of the ditty.

In the morning, he went to his steward, his Superior, and having acquainted him with the gift he
had received, was conducted to the abbess by whom he was ordered, in the presence of many learned
men, to tell his dream and repeat the verse that they might all give their judgment on what it was and
from what his new power proceeded. They all agreed that heav enly grace had been conferred on him
by our Lord. They read a passage from the Bible to him, and he put it into verse. so/ in the same way,
Caedmon sang about the creation of the world, the origin of man, and all in the Book of Genesis. He
also sang in many verses about the departure of the children of Israel and of Egypt; their entering into
the Land of Promise; the Incarnation, Passion, and Death of Christ; His resurrection and ascent into
heaven; and the preaching of the apostles

Page | 9
 LET’S SEE WHAT YOU LEARN…

Activity 3: Answer the following briefly. (15 points)

1. Describe a person who has “ the grace of God” in him/her.

2. Is the gift of Poetry a god- given gift?

3. How can one express faith in God through literature?

……End of module 1……..

Page | 10