The Ecclesiastical History of the English People (731).Works on scientific subjects/natural phenomena.The Harrowing of Hell - recounts a story of Christ's three days in HellĪnglo-Latin Literature of the Old English PeriodĪldhelm, Bishop of Sherborne - important Anglo-Latin writer The Ruin (in the Exeter book, beautiful example of Old English elegiac verse).The Wanderer (eloquent poem of brooding sadness).The Christian epic shows that the cleric, while he was aware of the grimness of nature and the mighty adversaries of the soul, was able to soften them through the essential hopefulness of his religion. The Battle of Maldon - tale of defeat of band of Englishmen under Byrhtnoth by invading Danes in 991Įxcerpts from The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle are on that page.The Battle of Brunanburh - part The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (year 937), chronicles defeat of Norsemen and Scots by English under Athelstan, successor of King Alfred.Other heroic epics are listed, two in particular: There are the lines describing the behavior of the Danes on the morning after Beowulf's fight with Grendel, how they went to visit the scene and then came home rejoicing - and here we are told something of the real genesis of a heroic epic, for the Danes spoke of Bowulf's deed.Ī most noteworthy passage, sometimes called the first bit of landscape in English literature, although this honor would be a difficult one to bestow justly, is the description of the approach to Grendel's lair. There are the final measures of the Prologue, the stern commentary on the passing of Scyld the grim stage-entrance of Grendel the horrifying account of the destruction of Grendel's prey the picturesque contest with Breca in the storms of the winter sea. Lack of space forbitds the quoting here of extensive passages from the poem, but certain lines are especially recommended. The author wisely decides not to quote from the poem, as that would have ballooned a pocket-sized book into a doorstop, but here are the sections of Beowulf the author highlights: Vercelli Book (1000s - large number of prose compositions).Junius Manuscript (1000 - printed by Huguenot scholar Dujon in 1655).Beowulf Manuscript (1000 - British Museum).Even the apparently clod-like Anglo-Saxon of this period might have uttered indignantly the simple speech of the murderer in Macbeth: 'We are men, my liege!'įour important manuscripts of Old English poetry: Besides, such generalizations only go to show the fatal fallacy of attempting to read and interpret life from the imperfect written records of an era.

King Alfred the Great of Wessex (849-901)īut at least we can no longer rightfully call these centuries the Dark Ages. No literature survives from England at the time of the Roman occupationĪnglo-Saxon (Germanic invaders) conquest of Britain - fifth century onward Literature of the Old English Period Anglo-Saxons 2.8 Informational Writing Before Norman Conquest.2.7 Secular Didactic Writing and Prose Fiction.2.6 Aelfric, Wulfstan, and the Homilies.2.4 Anglo-Latin Literature of the Old English Period.

Middle english time period