English Lit 101: Major Periods and Movements - Old English AngloSaxon Literature Beowulf Caedmon The Wanderer The Seafarer Elegiac Poetry

What It Is

Old English (Anglo-Saxon) literature refers to the body of written works produced in England from the 5th to the 11th centuries. It is characterized by its use of the Anglo-Saxon language, a Germanic dialect that evolved into Middle English. One canonical example is Beowulf, an epic poem that tells the story of a hero's battles with monsters. Understanding Old English literature is crucial for literary analysis as it provides insight into the cultural, social, and historical context of early English society.

Key Terms & Concepts

• Epic poem: A long narrative poem that tells a heroic story, often featuring a legendary or historical figure. (Example: Beowulf)
• Anglo-Saxon: The Germanic dialect spoken in England from the 5th to the 11th centuries. (Example: Beowulf)
• Caedmon: A 7th-century Anglo-Saxon poet who is credited with composing the first English poem, "Caedmon's Hymn". (Example: "Caedmon's Hymn")
• Elegiac poetry: A type of poetry that expresses sorrow or mourning, often for a lost loved one or a fallen hero. (Example: The Wanderer)
• The Wanderer: An Old English poem that explores the theme of exile and longing. (Example: The Wanderer)
• The Seafarer: An Old English poem that describes the hardships and dangers of life at sea. (Example: The Seafarer)
• Alliteration: A literary device in which words that are close together in a sentence or phrase start with the same sound. (Example: "The wind whispers through the willows")
• Assonance: A literary device in which words that are close together in a sentence or phrase have the same vowel sound. (Example: "The rain rains down on the plain")
• Kenning: A type of metaphorical expression used in Old English poetry, in which a person or thing is referred to by a phrase that describes a characteristic or attribute. (Example: "whale-road" to refer to the sea)
• Futhorc: An Anglo-Saxon runic alphabet used to write Old English texts. (Example: The Beowulf manuscript)
• Hapax legomenon: A word or phrase that appears only once in a text. (Example: The word "wyrd" in Beowulf)
• Litotes: A rhetorical device in which a statement is made by saying the opposite of what is meant. (Example: "He is not very strong" to mean "He is very weak")
• Metaphor: A comparison between two unlike things without using "like" or "as". (Example: "He is a lion on the battlefield")
• Simile: A comparison between two unlike things using "like" or "as". (Example: "He runs like a cheetah")
• Personification: A literary device in which an inanimate object or an animal is given human-like qualities. (Example: "The sun smiled down on us")

Common Misunderstandings

• Misunderstanding: Old English literature is only about Beowulf.
• Correction: Old English literature includes a wide range of texts, such as Caedmon's Hymn, The Wanderer, and The Seafarer.
• Misunderstanding: The Wanderer and The Seafarer are the same poem.
• Correction: The Wanderer and The Seafarer are two separate Old English poems that explore different themes.
• Misunderstanding: Alliteration and assonance are the same literary device.
• Correction: Alliteration refers to the repetition of initial consonant sounds, while assonance refers to the repetition of vowel sounds.

Quick Application / Identification

1. Identify the literary device used in the following excerpt from Beowulf: "The wind whispers through the willows." Answer: Alliteration. Reason: The words "wind" and "willows" start with the same sound.
2. Describe a situation in which a kenning might be used in Old English poetry. Answer: A kenning might be used to refer to a person or thing in a way that is both poetic and descriptive, such as "whale-road" to refer to the sea.
3. Identify the type of poetry that is characterized by its expression of sorrow or mourning. Answer: Elegiac poetry. Reason: Elegiac poetry is a type of poetry that expresses sorrow or mourning, often for a lost loved one or a fallen hero.

Last-Minute Revision

• Beowulf is an epic poem written in Old English.
• Caedmon is credited with composing the first English poem, "Caedmon's Hymn".
• The Wanderer and The Seafarer are two separate Old English poems.
• Elegiac poetry is a type of poetry that expresses sorrow or mourning.
• Alliteration refers to the repetition of initial consonant sounds.
• Assonance refers to the repetition of vowel sounds.
• Kenning is a type of metaphorical expression used in Old English poetry.
• Futhorc is an Anglo-Saxon runic alphabet used to write Old English texts.
• Hapax legomenon is a word or phrase that appears only once in a text.
• Litotes is a rhetorical device in which a statement is made by saying the opposite of what is meant.
• Metaphor is a comparison between two unlike things without using "like" or "as".
• Simile is a comparison between two unlike things using "like" or "as".
• Personification is a literary device in which an inanimate object or an animal is given human-like qualities.
• Old English literature is characterized by its use of the Anglo-Saxon language.
• The Anglo-Saxon period lasted from the 5th to the 11th centuries.
• Beowulf is a canonical example of Old English literature.