M. BALAMURUGAN ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF ENGLISH EDAYATHANGUDY.

1. M. BALAMURUGAN ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF ENGLISH EDAYATHANGUDY. G.S PILLAY ARTS & SCIENCE COLLEGE- NAGAPATTINAM

2. HISTORY OF ENGLISH LITERATURE English Before Age of Chaucer (500-1340)

3. English Literature before Chaucer can be classified in to two 1. Literature before Norman Conquest (500-1066) 2. Literature from the conquest of the period of the Chaucer (1066-1340)

4. Literature before Norman Conquest (500-1066) • Generally called Old English period or Anglo Saxon period • English language started its existence here but not in whole • Anglo Saxons gave importance to both prose and poetry genre in their writings • Anglo Saxon poetry was very famous in this period

5. Characteristics of Anlgo Saxon Poetry • Sacred subjects and earnestness in feeling • Love of the sea and its adventures • Alliteration was used for admiring the readers to read enthusiastically ( Repetition of Initial Consonants sound)

6. Beowulf • The outstanding work of the period is Beowulf. • Oldest epic in English Language • It deals with the adventures of the hero, Beowulf in fighting against the Grendel, Monster and got victory over Grendel and his ferocious and danger mother. • It’s a work by an anonymous writer

7. Famous Poets • Caedmaon and Cynewulf • Caedmon – a monk who wrote biblical and religious poetry • Cynewulf- famous work “Dream of the Rood”, “Christ” were popular

8. Prose: • King Alfred was famous writer on prose and who can be slightly called “ Father of English Prose”, • Anglo-Saxon chronicle , acclaimed a national history and was continued up to 1154

9. Literature from the Norman Conquest to Chaucer (1066-1340) • Norman French was made as official language • Later it ceased and English Language existed • Revival came during the reign on King John and with the “Magna Carta”

10. Layaman, famous writer and his noteworthy writer of English. • “Brut” a famous poem written in 30000 lines • It deals with legendary history of ancient Britain starting with Aeneas Brut

11. Other writings • Ormulum by Orm is a series of metrical homilies • Anchres Rule (Rule of Nuns) anonymous writing is a prose treatise, designed to give advice to ladies who would become nuns • The Owl and the Nightingale- is a famous poem which was dialogue between two birds

12. Other Writings • Robert Manyng’s “Handling Synne” were translations from frnech • Cursor Mundi was a versified of scripture history which belongs to religious liteature.

13. THANK YOU