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    Silvia Saporta Tarazona
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    14 views11 pages

    The Alfredian Period

    Uploaded by

    Silvia Saporta Tarazona

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    of 11
    2 Literature of the Alfredian Period ‘Mos of wat we know about the life and character of King Alf he Great (reigned #71-99) derives from the only known Latin work of any considerable length compe inthe later nth cents, 0 Hn Finished life ofthe king (ed. W. Stevenson 1904; trans. Keynes and Lapidige 1983: 67-110) composed in 893 by Ase, 4 Welshman from Se Davis's, perhaps bishop tere, whom Alfed fad enlisted toast him inhi trary and educational plans Peshaps best described secula hagiography, she woek sem to have been inspired by Hinkar's life of Charlemagne, which Asser quotes a several paces and oii now widely viewed s political propaganda designed 0 elevate Aled to the company ofthe Frankish emperor (see K. Davis 1971, bute, Keynes and Lapidge 1983: 40 and a, 62). Asser i indeed prone to exaggeration, making Alfred preeminent at al he ses his hand v, ‘quality that may have served to recommend their new overlord 10 the Wilsh churchmen who were (sie fom the king himself probably Auer’ chic intended audience, Buti tends ro undermine his ced bility a a biographer, The greater part ofthe work (ap. 1-86) i [Ltin translation and expansion of 3 version of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (see below) forthe years up t0 887. The remainder is 2 pcan to Ale accomplishments, especily in the feof persistent $lmeats, emphasize to mark the Rng pet asco eo Kersh 2001). Is not surprising that particular attention ane praise are re Served for Alfie's atesinment, ae in ie, of ierseyin Latin aswel | English not sinply bceause of Aser’s ole in Alfie’ eucaton, but because tracy tly was an extesorinary aeconpsiien ina mon ach befoce the tenth century. Woves iato these two strands of the aativeate anecdotes of, among other matters, the king's youth how ‘scr came to sive Aled and was rewarded by hiny and Ales erate ofthe Atredan Paris ” petsitent poor health, The most fanilarof these anecdotes isthe Sony of how Alfed won fom his mother a book of English poems by Inemorizing its contents whch they were read to him (esp. 23), 4 passage valued fr the light it sheds the lay use of books in te int century an the tansision of vernacular verse both n mans Script ain memory? Also much cited chiefly to nationalist ends, the account, shared with the Chronicle, of the dramatic reversal af Fortune for Alfed and Wessex (cap. 53-6) when be took efioge ia 3 Somnerst mars, bul orifestions at Atkency, allied the people of Soanert, Wiltshire, and Hampshire, and won a decisive victory at Falingron, He sobseqenth forced the wingers to agyee to peace ind to leave Westen and shorty therafiee the viking hing Guchrum ‘vas baptized with Aft is sponsor. Alf accomplishments hardly requlze the aggvandizement that -Asorand the Chronicle accord them, a they ave sficintyimpres sive even in bare snmary. La euraing the de of the eal viking wats achieving victory afer very neal seing hs kingdom anni lied, establishing a burghal sytem of defense that would keep the invaders in check for nary a century, and lying the groundwork for the wnifcation of Eagland forthe fist time under a single king, Alc Tet a beiliaranitry and pola! legacy. Tha in such ero bled ures he shoul ave Ltt iterary legacy of equal importance for the history of Old Englsh lero i tly remarkable. These ro schievements, however are not unrelated Aled aw the task ofr Thulin the countey not simply ar «matter of defeating the Snaders but of storing the glory tad cen in forme days glory expresied to the word mose manifestly inthe Latin scholatsip of Englishmen lke Alcln, Bed, and Alcuin, Doubtless Alfred wise 1 eeate +

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