MAEL- 102 ENGLISH POETRY UP TO THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY SCHOOL OF HUMANITIES Uttarakhand Open University MAEL- 102 ENGLISH POETRY UP TO THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY SCHOOL OF HUMANITIES Uttarakhand Open University Phone no. 05964-261122, 261123 Toll Free No. 18001804025 Fax No. 05946-264232, e-mail info @uou.ac.in http://uou.ac.in Board of Studies Prof. H. P. Shukla (Chairperson) Prof. S. A. Hamid Director Dept. of English School of Languages Kumaun University Uttarakhand Open University Nainital Haldwani Prof. D. R. Purohit Prof. R. K. Rastogi Dept. Of English Dept. of English H. N. B. Garhwal University Kumaun University Srinagar (Garhwal) Nainital Programme Coordinators Dr. H. P. Shukla Dr. SuchitraAwasthi Professor Assistant Professor Dept. of English Dept. of English Uttarakhand Open University Uttarakhand Open University Unit Writers Dr. SuchitraAwasthi, Uttarakhand Open University, Haldwani Units 1,2,3,4,5,16 Dr. Binod Mishra, IIT,Roorkee Units 6,7,8,9 Dr. PreetiGautam, Govt. P.G. College, Rampur Units 10,11 Mr.RohitashThapliyal, Graphic Era Hill University, Bhimtal Units 12, 13.14 Dr. Mohit Mani Tripathi, D.A.V. College, Kanpur Unit 15 Edition: 2017 ISBN : 978-93-84632-13-7 Copyright: Uttarakhand Open University, Haldwani Published by: Registrar, Uttarakhand Open University, Haldwani Email: [email protected] Printer: UttarayanPrakashan, Haldwani CONTENTS BLOCK 1 Unit 1 Introduction to Early English Poetry 1-14 Unit 2 Chaucer: Prologue to the Canterbury Tales (1) 15-24 Unit 3 Chaucer: Prologue to the Canterbury Tales (2) 25-40 Unit 4 Spenser: The Faerie Queene Book 1 Part 1 41-52 Unit 5 Spenser: The Faerie Queene Book 1 Part 2 53-64 BLOCK 2 Unit 6 Metaphysical Poetry 65-77 Unit 7 The Poems of John Donne (1) 78-90 Unit 8 The Poems of John Donne (2) 91-102 Unit 9 The Poems of Andrew Marvell 103-117 BLOCK 3 Unit 10 Milton and His Age 118-130 Unit 11 Paradise Lost Book 1 131-148 BLOCK 4 Unit 12 Neoclassicism 149-157 Unit 13 Dryden: Absalom and Achitophel 158-165 Unit 14 Pope: Rape of the Lock 166-173 BLOCK 5 Unit 15 Thomas Gray and his Poems 174-188 Unit 16 William Collins and his Poems 189-200 English Poetry up to the Eighteenth Century MAEL-102 UNIT 1 INTRODUCTION TO EARLY ENGLISH POETRY 1.1. Introduction 1.2. Objectives 1.3. The Anglo-Saxon Invasion 1.4. Anglo Saxon Literature – an Overview 1.4.1. Major Extant Works of the Anglo Saxon Period 1.5. Origin of Anglo Saxon Poetry 1.5.1. Characteristics of Anglo Saxon Poetry 1.5.2. Some Important Anglo Saxon Works 1.5.3. Some Famous Anglo Saxon Poets 1.6. The Coming of the Normans 1.6.1. The Norman Conquest 1.6.2. The Shift of Language 1.7. The Norman Literature 1.8. Anglo Norman Poetry 1.8.1. Characteristics of Anglo Norman Poetry 1.8.2. Some Important Anglo Norman Works 1.8.3. Some Famous Anglo Norman Writers 1.9. Glossary 1.10. Let Us Sum Up 1.11. Answers to Check Your Progress 1.12. References 1.13. Suggested Reading 1.14. Terminal and Model Questions Uttarakhand Open University 1 English Poetry up to the Eighteenth Century MAEL-102 1.1. INTRODUCTION This unit will introduce you to the beginning of English poetry. It will cover the time span from the collapse of the Roman Empire to the Norman period. It will discuss a brief history of the Anglo Saxon and the Norman periods. The characteristics of the Anglo Saxon and Norman literature, in particular poetry will also be explained in this unit. You will also read about some of the earliest extant works of English poetry like Beowulf, Waldere, Widsith and Deor. 1.2. OBJECTIVES After reading this unit you will be able to: • Trace the beginning of English Literature • Understand and appreciate the Anglo Saxon literature • Understand and appreciate the Anglo Norman literature 1.3. THE ANGLO SAXON INVASION The history of early English poetry can be traced back to the Anglo Saxon period. The Anglo Saxons invaders came from Germania to Britain in the latter part of the fifth century A.D and eventually established their kingdom in the British Isle. The Anglo Saxons belonged to a group of Teutonic peoples mainly consisting three related tribes namely the Angles, Saxons and the Juts. From this group the Angles came to Britain from the region of Angeln, a district located in Schelswig Holstein, Germany, the Saxons from the North German plain and the Juts from Jutland in modern Denmark. After reaching the shores of Britain, the Angles established their kingdom in the East, North and Midlands, the Saxons in the South and South West of the country and the Juts in Kent which is in the South East part of the country. As these three tribes were related, a similarity can be witnessed in their language, culture and mode of life. Before the coming of the Anglo Saxons, Britain was inhabited by the native Brythons (now spelled Britons)and the Celt who were driven out from the eastern, central and southern portions of the country and confined to the area we today know as Wales. Besides Wales Celts were also pushed to areas such as the present day Scotland, Cornwall, Brittany and Ireland. As the native Britons had little to offer in the field of literature and it can be safely considered that the arrival of the Anglo Saxons signaled the beginning of the English language and literature. After the conquest, the area inhabited came to be known as “Angles land” which over a period of time became England. This group of Teutonic peoples spoke closely related Germanic languages which developed into a new language called “Angle-ish”, which over a period of time came to be known as English. However, the Anglo Saxon literature did not begin with books but with spoken verse and incantations. The purpose of these verses was to pass along the tribal history, folk lores, heroic tales and values to an audience who could not read. The literature of that time is written in what we today know as Old English or the Anglo Saxon English. Uttarakhand Open University 2 English Poetry up to the Eighteenth Century MAEL-102 1.4. ANGLO SAXON LITERATURE- AN OVERVIEW A large number of Anglo Saxon manuscripts survive till date. In all there are about 400 surviving manuscripts mainly from the 9 th to the 11 th centuries. These are written in both Latin and vernacular languages. Out of these 400 manuscripts, 189 are major works while the remaining ones are less recognized. MAJOR EXTANT WORKS OF ANGLO SAXON PERIOD: The following are some of the major surviving manuscripts of the Anglo Saxon poetry: 1. The Janius manuscript, also known as the Caedmon manuscript, which is an illustrated poetic anthology. 2. The Exeter Book, also an anthology, located in the Exeter Cathedral since it was donated to the Cathedral in the 11 th century. 3. The Vercelli Book, a combination of poetry and prose; 4. The Nowell Codex, also a combination of poetry and prose. Not all of the texts of Anglo Saxon period can be called works of literature and most of them are anonymous. The above mentioned manuscripts consist of miscellaneous forms of writings including both prose and poetic works. However, as this unit focuses on Early English Poetry, we will be focusing on Old English Poetry only. 1.5. ORIGIN OF ANGLO SAXON POETRY The early Anglo Saxon poetry was oral and was recited on various ceremonies. The performers were usually professional gleemen who recited for hours and, in some instances, even for days. These poems were usually recited with the accompaniment of a harp. The poems followed a set pattern which made them easier to memorize. Only about 30,000 lines of Anglo Saxon poetry still survive. There are three types of Anglo Saxon poetry, one being heroic poetry, which tells of the achievements of warriors involved in great battles, the second elegiac which lament the death of one’s kith and kin and the third Christian, which was written after Christianity returned to the British Isles after the conversion of these Germanic tribes into Christianity partly by Irish and partly by continental missionaries. The Anglo-Saxonconquest led to the establishment of monasteries which became centers of a literary culture. However, there are other divisions into which Anglo Saxon poetry can be classified further. This will taken up later in this section. The Anglo Saxons left behind no poetic rule. Everything we know about the poetry of this period is based on modern analysis. Uttarakhand Open University 3 English Poetry up to the Eighteenth Century MAEL-102 1.5.1. CHARACTERISTICS OF ANGLO SAXON POETRY Now let us study some characteristics of the Anglo Saxon poetry based on modern analysis, as the Anglo-Saxons did not leave behind any rules for writing poetry and everything we know about the Anglo-Saxon poetry is based on this modern analysis. Oral form: Most of the Anglo Saxon poetry is oral as the ballads and popular folk lore were circulated by word of mouth from generation to another. The Anglo Saxon scops or gleemen who were professional minstrel went about wondering from village to village or from tribe to tribe, chanting to the harp, the popular ballads and their own compositions. The poems followed a set formula of composition which made it easier for the minstrels to memorize. A formal rigid pattern of word stresses gave the lyrics a terse, sing-song effect. Alliteration: Old English poetry is alliterative in nature.