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INTRODUCTION TO OLD ENGLISH LITERATURE
I. THE BEGINNING OF ENGLISH LITERARY PERIOD
 The name "England" is derived from the Old
English name ”ENGLALAND”, which means
“LAND OF THE ANGLES"
II. ENGLAND BEFORE THE ENGLISH
 Romans withdraw, leaving the Britons/Celts
behind invasions from the Northern Europe
III. ANGLO-SAXON PERIOD
 By 600, Anglo-Saxons conquer the Britons
- language becomes more Germanic
- still retains some Latin
 The Anglo-Saxons’ two urgings – war and
wandering become part of the oral tradition
 The Anglo-Saxons formed the basis of English
culture, religion, and language and ruled
England for 600 years.
 The term Anglo-Saxon refers to a group of
settlers from the German regions of Angles and
Saxony who took over England after the fall of
the Roman Empire.
 The Anglo-Saxons first introduced Old English
literature in the fifth century.
 When the Anglo-Saxons first came to England
from northern Germany (Saxony) in the fifth and
sixth centuries, they brought their language with
them. It is a Germanic language and has some
fundamental similarities to Modern German.
 By 700, Christian missionaries arrive to convert
 the pagans.
– Latin (the language of the Church) returns
 King Alfred
- the Britons become organized
- first true king of the Britons
- period of prosperity
 Despite Latin being the official language used to
produce literature, Old English became popular
due to its use by Anglo-Saxons and other tribes.
 Hence, there were many works that were
produced in Old English as well during the Anglo-
Saxon period in literature.
 many retellings before it was written down.
earliest known owner of the manuscript is the 16th
century scholar Lawrence Nowell.
SUMMARY
Hrothgar, king of the
Danes, built a mead hall
called as “Heorot hall.”
because of the noise made by the
Danes, Grendel attacked them,
and ruled the hall for 12 years.
A great warrior from
Geatland came help,
Beowulf.
Beowulf fought with Grendel, and
succeed in defeating Grendel. He
gets Grendel’s severed arm that
served as his trophy.
Grendel’s mother cam to
Heorot to avenge Grendel.
Beowulf defeated Grendel and gets her
head. He, then sailed back to his land and
became the King for 50 years.
A thief woken the dragon for stealing
a goblet. The dragon angered the
Geats and destroyed their land.
Beowulf was able to kill the dragon, but he
was totally wounded – Beowulf died.

BEOWULF
 the earliest literature, the national epic of the
Anglo-Saxon.

 written in Old English sometime between the 8th

and 11th centuries.

 one of the striking features – the use of

alliteration.
 composed as early as c.700, and evolved through
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MIDDLE ENGLISH PERIOD
 The Norman conquest under William, Duke of
Normandy, the battle of Hastings in 1066; the
mark of establishment of feudalism.
 William made French the official language of
the aristocracy and the law courts.
FEUDALISM
 The economic system of much of the Middle
Ages (800-1100)
 Feudalism is important as it created ties of
obedience and fostered a sense of loyalty
between the vassals and their lord.
 Commoners (peasants) lived on a feudal
manor. The lord of the manor gave his vassals
(the peasants) land to farm.
 In return, the vassals received protection from
roving bandits. Yet they were taxed and had
to surrender a portion of their crops to the
lord.
 A tenant (vassal) renews his oath of fealty to
his lord
 It is an oath of fidelity made by the vassal. In it
he promised not to harm his lord or to do
damage to his property.
CHIVALRY
 A product of feudalism, chivalry, was an
idealized system of manners and morals
 Restricted to nobility
 Chivalric ideals include:
- benevolence
- brotherly love
- politeness
 The Medieval knight was bound to the
chivalric code to be loyal to:
- God
- his lord
- his lady
THREE STATES IN THE MIDDLE ENGLISH
 CLERGY
– Latin chiefly spoken, those who pray, purpose
was to save everyone’s soul
 NOBLES
– French chiefly spoken, those who fight,
purpose was to protect—allow for all to work
in peace—and provide justice
 COMMONERS
– English spoken, those who work, purpose was
to feed and clothe all above them.
MIDDLE ENGLISH LITERATURE
 Works frequently of a religiously didactic
content.
 Written for performance at court or for
festivals.
CHARACTERISTICS OF MIDDLE ENGLISH LITERATURE
HEROISM
 From both Germanic and Christian traditions,
sometimes mingled
PRESENTATIONS OF IDEALIZED BEHAVIOR
 literature as moral - loyalty to king - Chivalry
 A narrative in prose or verse that tells of the
adventures and heroic exploits of chivalric
heroes exploits of knights- often a
supernatural element involved
ROMANCE
CHIRSTIAN MESSAGE
 concern with salvation and the world to come
 no interest in social change
 until the late 14th century
 Chaucer signals new thinking, up-ending social
order
HIGH MIDDLE AGES
 These people wrote music, but they also
wrote poetry – Cretien de Troyes, Walter von
der Vogelweide, Wolfram von Eschenbach,
and Marie de France are examples.
 Arthur and his knights, the Song of Roland,
the Niebelungenlied.
 Literary material based on the lives of
Alexander the Great and Charlemagne.
 The movement was important in promoting
the idea of a code of chivalry.
 During the High Middle Ages, other works
became important, such as ancient Greek
philosophy, translated into Latin from Arabic.
This brought about a new interest in
philosophy, religion, and science.
 Religion remained important. One example
was the works of Thomas Aquinas. Another
was Bonaventure's Life of Francis of Assisi.
LATE MIDDLE AGES
 This had truly great products with
A. The Divine Comedy, by Dante, and
B. The Canterbury Tales, by Geoffrey Chaucer.
 Interest in Arthurian legends also continued,
and both Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and
Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur were
products of this time.
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GEOFRREY CHAUCER
 Father of English Literature
 The Morning Star of English Literature
 his family name derives from the French
chausseur, meaning "shoemaker".
 He was born circa 1340 in London, England.
 He wrote the unfinished work, the Canterbury
tales. It is considered one of the greatest
poetic works in English.
 In 1357 he became a public servant to
countess Elizabeth of ulster and continued in
that capacity with the British court
throughout his lifetime.
 The Canterbury tales became his best known
and most acclaimed work.
 Geoffrey Chaucer is believed to have attended
the St. Paul's Cathedral School, where he
probably first became acquainted with the
influential writing of Virgil and Ovid. In 1366,
Chaucer married Philippa Roet, the daughter
of Sir Rayne Roet.
 He died October 25, 1400 in London, England.
He died of unknown causes and was 60 years
old at that time.
 He was the first poet to have been buried in
Poet's Corner of Westminster Abbey.
THE CANTERBURY TALES
 The framing device for the collection of stories
is a pilgrimage to the shrine of Thomas Becket
in Canterbury, Kent.
 The 30 pilgrims who undertake the journey
gather at the Tabard Inn in Southwark, across
the Thames from London.
 They agree to engage in a storytelling contest
as they travel, and Harry Bailly, host of the
Tabard, serves as master of ceremonies for
the contest.
 Interspersed between the 24 tales are short
dramatic scenes (called links) presenting lively
exchanges, usually involving the host and one
or more of the pilgrims.
 The Canterbury Tales made up of only 24 tales
and
 rather abruptly ends before its characters
even make it to Canterbury.
– The Knight’s Tale
– The Miller’s Tale
– The Reeve’s Tale
– The Wife of Bath’s Prologue and Tale
– The Friar’s Prologue and Tale
– The Summoner’s Tale
– The Clerk’s Tale
– The Merchant’s Prologue and Tale
SIR THOMAS MALORY
 Born to Sir John Malory and Lady Philipa Malory
of Warwickshire
 Born between 1415 and 1418
 Professional soldier
 Accused of a series of crimes
 Appears to gave written from prison
 His life is one that reads more like an account of
exemplary thuggery than chivalry.
LE MORTE D’ARTHUR
 King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table
 Symbolism
The Emblem of the Knights
-The emblem of the Knights of the Round
Table worn round the necks of all the Knights was
given to them by King Arthur as part of the ceremony
of their being made a knight.
The Order’s dominant idea
- was the love of God, men, and noble deeds.
The cross in the emblem was to remind them that
they were to live pure and stainless lives, to strive
after perfection and thus attain the Holy Grail.
The Red Dragon of King Arthur
- represented their allegiance to the King. The
Round Table was illustrative of the Eternity of God,
the equality, unity, and comradeship of the Order, and
singleness of purpose of all the Knights.
KING ARTHUR
is the figure at the heart of the Arthurian legends. He
is said to be the son of Uther Pendragon and Igraine
of Cornwall. Arthur is a near mythic figure in Celtic
stories such as Culhwch and Olwen. In early Latin
chronicles he is presented as a military leader, the dux
bellorum. In later romance he is presented as a king
and emperor.
CHARACTER LIST
 Uther Pendragon – The mightiest of all
English kings. Uther is the father of King
Arthur as well as three daughters.
 Igrayne – The wife of the Duke of Cornwall.
Uther Pendragon seduces and later marries
her. She is the mother of King Arthur.
 Guinevere - Arthur's wife and Launcelot's
lover. Guinevere encourages moral and
chivalrous behavior from the knights, and she
dearly loves and is loved by both Arthur and
Launcelot.
 Laudegreaunce – Guinevere’s father, who
gives Arthur the Round Table.
 Merlin – Arthur’s adviser, prophet and
magician
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 Lot – A king married to one of Uther “From the Marriage of King Uther unto King Arthur
Pendragon's daughters. Arthur seduces Lot's that Reigned After Him and Did Many Battles“
wife, not knowing that she is Arthur's own "The Noble Tale Between King Arthur and Lucius the
sister, and they are the parents of Mordred. Emperor of Rome“
King Lot is one of the eleven kings who are "The Noble Tale of Sir Launcelot Du Lac“
hostile to Arthur; he is slain by Pellanor. "The Tale of Sir Gareth of Orkney“
 Mordred – Arthur's son by his sister, Lot's "The First and Second Book of Sir Tristrams de Lione"
wife. Merlin prophesies that Mordred will "The Noble Tale of the Sangreal“
destroy Arthur; they kill each other in a battle "Sir Launcelot and Queen Guinevere“
for the throne of England. Mordred is half- "The Death of Arthur (Le Morte d'Arthur)"
brother to Gawain, Gareth, Gaheris, and
Aggravain.
 Laucelot du Lake – Ban's son, who is
considered the greatest knight in the world
and remains devoted to Guinevere
throughout his life. Because of his deep
friendship with Tristam, Launcelot gives
Tristam his castle, Joyous Gard, so that
Tristam can live there with Isode in peace.
Launcelot is later tricked into sleeping with
Elayne, who bears his son, Galahad, the
celebrated knight who succeeds in the Grail
Quest. As a result of his affair, Guinevere
banishes Launcelot from Camelot, and he
goes half-mad with grief. Elayne arranges for
his healing by the Grail, and Launcelot is
welcomed back to Camelot.
 Elayne – Pellas' daughter who bears
Launcelot's son, Galahad.
 Galahad – Elayne's and Launcelot's son.
Galahad fills the Sege Perilous, the seat at the
Round Table that no man has been worthy
enough to fill. He also pulls the sword from
the floating stone, thus gaining the title of the
best knight in the world but also accepting the
sword's curse that it will later cause a grievous
wound. Galahad is the knight who achieves
the Grail Quest.
 Morgan le Fay – Uther Pendragon's third
daughter; she later marries King Uriens. She
tries to kill Arthur so that her lover, Accolon,
can be king.
 Ector – The knight who raised Arthur until the
boy pulled the sword from the stone and
claimed his right to the throne. Ector goes on
the Grail Quest but fails.
 Melliagaunce – A knight who lusts after
Guinevere and kidnaps her. He is later killed
by Launcelot.
 Lucan and Bedivere – The last two knights left
standing with Arthur in his battle against
Mordred

LE MORTE D’ARTHUR – 8 BOOKS