Comprehensive Notes for UGC – NET in English Language & Literature English Literature before the Norman Conquest 500-1066 Beowulf Author: Anonymous Hero: Beowulf, King of Geats, Son of Ecgtheow Monster: Grendel King: Hrothgar, King of Danes Dialect: West Saxon 3182 lines Concludes with funeral ceremony of Beowulf. First major poem in a European vernacular. Seamus Heaney-translation-1999 Widsith The oldest poem in the language. The title of the poem means a Wide Wanderer. It is the wanderings of a minstrel or travelling singer or musician. He speaks of the feudal audience and sings of the various wars. 150 lines The Complaint of Deor Deor also is a minstrel, but he is not a wanderer. The poem is lyrical in form, with a definite refrain and may be called the first English lyric. 42 lines- 7 unequal sections. Ending with a Christian consolation. Vercelli Book An Old English Manuscript Contains: prose sermons and 3500 lines of Old English poetry. The Dream of the Rood, Andreas, Elene and The Fate of the Apostles Exeter Book One of the most important manuscripts containing Old English poetry Given by Bishop Leeofric (1072) to Exeter Cathedral Shorter Poems: The Wanderer, The Seafarer, The Wife’s Lament, The Husband’s Message, Resignation, The Complaint of Deor, Widsith, The Ruin, Wulf and Eadwacer, Longer poems: Guthlac, Christ,The Phoenix, Juliana Jithin John, Nithin Varghese Page 1 Comprehensive Notes for UGC – NET in English Language & Literature Caedmon The first native maker of English verse. An inmate of St. Hilda’s Monastery, near Whitby. An angel appeared to him in a dream and asked him to sing in praise of God. Caedmon’s Paraphrase (670) His religious poetry influenced later poets like Cynewulf. Cynewulf He was a Northumbrian. Some of his poems are Juliana, The Fate of the Apostles, Christ, Elene, and The Dream of the Rood. The Dream of the Rood - his masterpiece. 156 lines The poet’s vision of the cross and the address to him by the cross describing the Crucifixion. The Battle of Brunanburh 937 West Saxon Dialect Battle fought between English (Athelstan, the grandson of Alfred) and Danes. Tennyson – verse translation- Ballads and Other Poems (1880) King Alfred 849 – 901 One of the greatest kings of England. Orosius’ History of the World and Bede’s Ecclesiastical History of the English People also were translated. The famous Anglo – Saxon Chronicle was begun to be written during his reign. Alfred for the first time created English prose. The Anglo – Saxon Chronicle is said to be the first vernacular history of any Teutonic people. Venerable Bede 673 – 735 He was a native of Jarrow in Northumbria. Benedictine monk. He wrote mainly in Latin. Ecclesiastical History of the English People - Latin. Jithin John, Nithin Varghese Page 2 Comprehensive Notes for UGC – NET in English Language & Literature English Literature from the Norman Conquest to Geoffrey Chaucer 1066-1340 Chronicles Layamon’s BRUT • First important work. • Completed by about 1205. • Layamon’s poem gives the legendary history of ancient Britain beginning with Aeneas whose descendant Brutus was supposed ancestor of the British. • The stories of Lear and King Arthur also were incorporated in it. STORY OF ENGLAND • Robert Manning of Brunne Rhyming Chronicle • Robert of Gloucester Religious and Didactic poetry ORMULLUM (1215) • A series of metrical homilies written by a priest Orm. • 10000 lines – incomplete • North East Midland dialect • Addressed to Walter. THE OWL AND THE NIGHTINGALE (1220) • Best known poem of the period. • Anonymous THE ORISON TO OUR LADY GENESIS AND EXODUS BESTIARY MORAL ODE PROVERBS OF ALFRED PROVERBS OF HENDYNG CURSOR MUNDI • Religious work of an encyclopaedic nature. PRICKE OF CONSCIENCE • Richard Rolle of Hampole Alliterative Poems PEARL • Finest poem. Jithin John, Nithin Varghese Page 1 Comprehensive Notes for UGC – NET in English Language & Literature PURITY • Didactic in theme. PATIENCE • Didactic in theme. SIR GAWAIN AND THE GREEN KNIGHT • Best Middle English Romance. The Romances The Matter of England • KING HORN • HAVELOCK THE DANE • GUY OF WARWICK • RICHARD COEUR DE LION The Matter of Britain • SIR TRISTREM • ARTHUR AND MERLIN • YWAIN AND GAWAIN • SIR GAWAIN AND THE GREEN KNIGHT • MORTE D’ ARTHUR The Matter of Rome the Great • KING ALISAUNDER • THE DESTRUCTION OF TROY The Matter of France • RAUF COILYEAR • SIR FERUMBRAS Miscellaneous Romances • AMIS AND AMILOUN • WILLIAM OF PALERNE • FLORIS AND BLAUCHEFLEUR THE ANCRENE RIWLE • Prose • Manual design to guide 3 noble ladies-guiding principle is moderation in everything. THE AYENBITE OF INWIT • Dan Michael of Northgate • Translation of a French work Jithin John, Nithin Varghese Page 2 Comprehensive Notes for UGC – NET in English Language & Literature The Age of Geoffrey Chaucer 1340-1400 Historical events V Beginning of Hundred years’ War • Between England and France • 1338-1453 V Black Death (1348-1349) V Lollards Movement V Peasants’ Revolt (1381) Geoffrey Chaucer 1340 – 1400 Lived during the reigns of Edward III, Richard II and Henry IV London Patron: John of Gaunt First poet buried in Poets Corner, Westminster Abbey Influences: Ovid, Giovanni Boccaccio Father of English poetry. 3 Stages 1. The French 2. The Italian 3. The English The French Modelled upon French originals. Style is clumsy and immature. 1. The Romaunt of the Rose Lengthy allegorical poem. Octosyllabic couplets. 2. The Book of the Duchesse (1369) Octosyllabic Couplets Allegorical lament on the death of Blanche of Lancaster, the first wife of John of Gaunt A Complaynt of a Loveres Lyfe-John Lydgate is based on it. Jithin John, Nithin Varghese Page 1 Comprehensive Notes for UGC – NET in English Language & Literature 3. The Compleynt unto Pite 4. An ABC 5. The Compleynt of Mars The Italian Technical ability is higher. Growing keenness of perception. Great stretch of originality. 1. ANELIDA AND ARCITE Incomplete poem 2. THE PARLEMENT OF FOULES Characterization of the birds. Shows Chaucer’s true comic spirit. Rhyme Royal Written in connection with the marriage of Richard II to Anne of Bohemia. 3. TROUILUS AND CRISEYDE Long poem. Adapted from Boccaccio. (IL FILOSTRATO) Best narrative work. Rhyme Royal Stanza. Complex characters of Criseyde and Pandarus reveal a new subtlety of psychological development and indicate Chaucer’s growing insight into human motives. 4. THE HOUS OF FAME (DANTE) Dream Allegory Type. Octosyllabic couplets. parodies Dante’s The Divine Comedy 5. THE LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN Intention of telling 19 tales of virtuous women of antiquity. Finishes with 8 and the 9th only begun. Cleopatra, Thisbe, Dido, Hypsipyle & Medea, Lucrece, Ariadne, Philomela, Phyllis, Hypermnestra First known attempt in English to use the heroic couplet. The English 1. The Canterbury Tales Greatest individual accomplishment. Heroic couplet. Based on Boccaccio’s Decameron Jithin John, Nithin Varghese Page 2 Comprehensive Notes for UGC – NET in English Language & Literature Essentially English. PROLOGUE: Portrait gallery of 14th Century England Pen-pictures of 21 pilgrims 29 pilgrims (31 including Chaucer & Harry Baily) Harry Baily • The host of the pilgrims. • Judge of stories. V Tabard Inn in Southwark. V To relieve the tedium of the journey, each of the pilgrims is to tell two tales on the outward journey, and two on the return. V The best narrator would be given a supper by the rest on return to the Tabard. V 24 stories Finished only twenty. Four partly complete. Characters: Military profession - 3 - A Knight, A Squire, A Yeoman The Ecclesiastical: 8- A Prioress, A Nun, A Monk, A Friar, A Summoner, A Pardoner, A Poor Parson, A Clerk of Oxford. Two prose tales. V Tale of Melibeus (Chaucer’s own Tale) V The Parson’s Tale. Knight’s Tale: Finest work as a narrative poet. Begins with Knight’s Tale and ends with Parson’s Tale Chaucer’s own Tales: Tale of Sir Thopas & Tale of Melibeus Palamon and Arcite (based on Boccaccio’s Teseida) revised as The Knight’s Tale 2. THE FLOWER AND THE LEAF Dream Allegory type. 3. THE COURT OF LOVE Prose Treatise on the Astrolabe Translation of Boethius’ Consolation of Philosophy Chaucer’s dialect: East-Midland Dialect. He found English a dialect and left it a language. Lowes “The well of English undefiled” Spenser • His avoidance of foreign influences. The prologue to modern fiction (Prologue to the Canterbury Tales) Long. Jithin John, Nithin Varghese Page 3 Comprehensive Notes for UGC – NET in English Language & Literature • Narrative unity. With him is born our real poetry. Spenser Here is God’s plenty. Dryden Chaucer’s humour is a humour in the grandstyle. G.K. Chesterton. V Poets who have been influenced by Chaucer. • Spenser, Milton, Dryden, Keats, Tennyson, Swinburne, Robert Bridges, Walter De La Mare, John Masefield. Jithin John, Nithin Varghese Page 4 Comprehensive Notes for UGC – NET in English Language & Literature Other Poets of Chaucer’s Age John Gower 1332?-1408 Friend of Chaucer Chaucer’s chief rival in poetry Dedicatee of Troilus and Criseyde-‘moral Gower’ V SPECULUM MEDITANTIS (French) • Vices of the time V VOX CLAMANTIS (Latin) • Apocalyptic poem • Seven books-10265 lines • Elegiac couplets • Deals with politics, kingship and ecclesiastical issues • Wat Tyler’s rebellion • Satire on clergy V CONFESSIO AMANTIS (English) • 33000 lines-141 stories • Octosyllabic couplets • Illustrate the evils produced by the seven deadly sins • Shakespeare’s Pericles is partly based on ‘Apollonius of Tyre’ William Langland 1325-1390 • Langley V THE VISION OF WILLIAM CONCERNING PIERS THE PLOWMAN. • 3 versions: A, B and C Texts • Allegorical poem • Division: Visio (vision) and Vita (life) • 8 visions • Dialect: mixture of Southern and Midland English • He portrays vividly the terrible hardships of the poor peasant. • Attacks the abuses of his period, the greed, and hypocrisy of the clergy and the materialism and tyranny of the ruling class. • The style has a sober energy. Jithin John, Nithin Varghese Page 1 Comprehensive Notes for UGC – NET in English Language & Literature • The form of the poem is curious.