Anglo-Saxon Poetry

Bede & CAEDMON'S HYMN

most Old English poetry was religious in nature

poetry was written primarily by priests or monks

An important early chronicler of English history

monk known as the Venerable Bede
c. 673-735

spent his life at the monasteries of Wearmouth and Jarrow

wrote on theology, history, and rhetoric

most important work
..............
Ecclesiastical History of the English People"

earliest written poem in Old English
.......................
Caedmon's Hymn

oral-formulaic poetry

combining and varying traditionally passed-down phrases and formulas

For example, people make up finishing lines to poems

Such as poems that begin with Roses are red/violets are blue

Dream of the Rood

rood means tree" or cross

good example of religious Old English homiletic poem

homily

informal exposition (explanation and expansion on the meaning) of a Biblical text

dream-vision

kind of poetic structure used in a number of Old English poems

poet presents material through the framing story of a dream

Dreams hold a contradictory place in culture

some ways...
-dreams are not important
-are often dismissed as only a dream

Biblical tradition...
prophetic dreams are sometimes very important

dream-vision was a
very useful device

satire
...................
provided plausible deniabilitythemes

Anglo-Saxon poets

Used it to explore religious themes

Conclusion

literary works
..................
illustrate two important elements of English literary history

syncretism
.................
mixing of elements from different cultures

importance of Christianity to the beginning of literature in Britain

What generalizations can you make from your reading about which aspects of Christianity seemed most attractive to Anglo-Saxon culture? What aspects of Christianity seemed least attractive to the Anglo-Saxons? Why do you think this was?

bEfore Next class

• Read Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales—“General Prologue,” “Wife of Bath’s Prologue” and “Tale” ,“The Pardoner’s Tale
• Post answers to Forum 'CPA Topic 2 Wk 3-Part 1 (Participation)'