The beginnings The beginnings of Englishof English

English literature – Lesson 1

The origins of EnglishThe origins of English

The beginnings of English The beginnings of English literature literature

• The first literature• Old English• England – two cultures • 1066 – Normans• Scandinavian influences• 1215 – Magna Carta• 1362 – language of law

Old EnglishOld English• Latin – major influence

o Plants, animals, food and drink, household items.• pise – pea, plante – plant, win – wine, cyse – cheese, catte – cat, disc – dish,

candel – candleo Clothing

• Belt – belt, cemes – shirt,

• Norse – Viking raids – 200 years o Personal names of Scandinavian origino 1,000 words became a part of Standard Englisho [sk-] sound, an Old Norse feature – skirt, sky, skin

OLD ENGLISHOLD ENGLISH

1) The first literature

2) Familiar subjects

3) Christian monks

RunesRunes• 31 symbols

Cadmon’s HymnCadmon’s Hymn• One of the earliest poems in Old English is Cadmon's

´Hymn´, which was written in about 670. o Nu we sculon herigean howfonrices Weard,

Meotodes meahte ond his modgeþancNow we must praise of heaven's kingdom the Keeper

Of the Lord the power and his wisdom.

BeowulfBeowulf• The most famous Old English poem is

Beowulf.

• Many of the earliest books were histories, rather than imaginative writings, and these writings have given us most of the information we have of this period.

Beowulf prologueBeowulf prologue• Hwæt! We gardena         in geardagum, 

þeodcyninga,         þrym gefrunon, hu ða æþelingas         ellen fremedon. Oft Scyld Scefing         sceaþena þreatum, monegum mægþum,         meodosetla ofteah, 

• Hear me! praise of the prowess of people-kings of spear-armed Danes,in days long sped, we have heard, and what honor the athelings won! Oft Scyld the Scefing from squadroned foes, from many a tribe, the mead-bench tore, 

Eft he axode, hu ðære ðeode nama wære þe hi of comon. Him wæs geandwyrd, þæt hi Angle

genemnode wæron. Þa cwæð he, "Rihtlice hi sindAngle gehatene, for ðan ðe hi engla wlitehabbað, and swilcum gedafenað þæt hi onheofonum engla geferan beon."

ReadRead• The extract from Beowulf discuss the questions with a

fellow students. o Understanding the poemo Languageo Discussion

Beowulf - trailerBeowulf - trailer

How did English evolve?How did English evolve?How did English evolve? - Answer the study questions

Middle English 1150-1485Middle English 1150-14851) Man of romance2) Women began to appear in the poems3) European literature began to influence

English writers. 4) The first histories created a sense of national

historical and mythical identity.

ProgressProgress1) King Arthur 2) Layamon3) Love and death4) Questions society. 5) The invention of printing 6) One of the first stories printed in England was King Arthur and the

Knights of the Round Table, published in 1485.

Middle English spellingMiddle English spellingMight – different spellings:maht, mahte, mi tte, ƺmihhte, mayht, micht, michtis, michte, mi t, mi te, ƺ ƺmi ten, mi tes, mihte, mist, ƺ ƺmithe, mouthe, myhte, myhtes, myhtestu

• Great variation – factors:o Historical (French invasion)o Linguistic (vowel change)o Social (growth of population –

more speakers)

GEOFFREY CHAUCERGEOFFREY CHAUCER

1) Best-known2) The first great poet 3) Make literature equal4) Canterbury tales (1387-1400) 5) Religion is less important

The knight’s taleThe knight’s taleWhat is this world? What asketh men to have?Now with his love, now in his colde graveAllone, withouten any companignye

What is this world? What do men ask for?Now with his love, now in his cold graveAlone, without any companionship.

ReadRead• The extract from The pardoner’s tale and discuss the

questions with a fellow student. o Languageo Discussion

HomeworkHomework• Shakespeare and the Globe: Read and do exercises 79-81• Romeo and Juliet: Read and do exercise 82