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The medieval period
The medieval period
The norman conquest and its influence on english
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Analyze the Legacy of the Period 449-1485 The Middle Age of England refers to the medieval period that started from 440 to 1485. The medieval period can ramify into the Anglo-Saxon Period and the Middle English Period (Middle). During approximately 1045 years, warriors from various countries invaded England, including the Anglo-Saxons, the Vikings and the Normans. These countries brought numerous effects to England during their invasions; they brought their styles of life, languages and literatures to fill the “blank” England. Their appearances were apparently significant to the development of England. Everything started with invasions. At AD 43, the Romans settled in England and started to invade and controlled England; the control of the …show more content…
These countries were very important contributors to the development of the English language. The two main types of English from 449 to 1485 were the “Old English” and “Middle English” (Middle English. 449). The Old English period that started from 449 to 1066 was introduced by the Anglo-Saxon and their descendants (Middle English. 449). Old English was an early form of English; therefore the future development of English grammar was highly connected to the Old English. People during this period also paid lots of attentions on manuscripts. As a result, a number of literatures were persisted in this period. Alfred the Great, who was the era’s most important political leader, was the first person to encourage the usage of English in England; he instigated people to write and speak in English instead of Latin (Middle English. 449). During the Old English period, words from Rome and the Viking’s were also “immigrated” into the English language in sequence. In 597, a priest called Augustine brought Christianity from Rome to England; he introduced a large number of Latin words to the English language while doing his missionary. Later on due to the the Viking’s invasion in England in 793, Scandinavian words from the Vikings also entered the English language . Eventually, more than a thousand Scandinavian words became part of the Standard English (History of …show more content…
During the Old English period, England began to encounter a number of literature works, including historical works, translations, poems, etc. The most remarkable works in this period were Cædmon's Hymn, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, and epic poems (English Literature). Cædmon's Hymn was the oldest surviving text that was written in Old English. Furthermore, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle was the earliest historical work that was also written in Old English. Epic poems were popular in the Anglo-Saxons, however, these kinds of poems were totally different from the modern poems; they were composed without rhyme, in a characteristic line, and sometimes verse, etc (History of Literature). Beowulf, which was written in the 8th century, was the most well known epic poem of all. When epic poems first entered England, they were not in the form of a written literature; they were passed down orally from generations to generations (History of
"The Anglo Saxons appear as a race of fierce, cruel, and barbaric pagans, delighting in the seas, in slaughter, and in drink "(Allen, 17). The character of the ancient Saxons displayed the qualities of fearless, active, and successful. The Anglo-Saxons are mostly a barbaric race, not savage and rude but mostly military and...
One of the many permutations that language has made is into what is collectively known as English. This particular tongue was brought to the British Isles in the Sixth Century CE by Northern Europeans or “Germanic” people. (Kemmer) It followed English colonists around the world, including areas in North America, which will be the subject of this essay.
At the heart of Anglo-Saxon literature is the epic poem Beowulf. It was written in Old English somewhere between the middle of the 7th and the end of the 10th century by an unknown poet. Beowulf has come to be recognized as the foundational epic of English and British culture (Shmoop). The story has its roots in a pagan Saxon past, but by the time the epic poem was written down, almost all Anglo-Saxons had converted to Christianity. As a result the poet resolved his new Christian beliefs with the un-Christian behavior of the characters.
The Middle Ages was a time of knights, the lords they supported, and the kings and queens they worked under. A time the Roman Catholic Church took over the European landmass like rapid fire, and when moral codes designated the manner in which people acted. Almost most influential of all was feudalism. At the time of the medieval period, the social, political, and economic lives of Europeans were defined by feudalism.
Sommerville, J. P. "Anglo Saxon England II." History Department, University of Wisconsin. University of Wisconsin. Web. 23 Feb. 2011. .
Beowulf is the earliest surviving epic poem written in a modern European language. It was written in Old English sometime before the tenth century A.D. The poem describes the adventures of Beowulf, a Scandinavian warrior of the sixth century. Beowulf is described as a perfect hero who fights for his people and gets rid of evil with his extraordinary abilities to bring peace and justice. Unlike Beowulf, The Epic of Gilgamesh was one of the first pieces of literature known to man. The epic was found among ruins in Ninevah in the form of twelve large tablets, dating to 2,000 B.C. The epic is believed to be based on the Archaic Sumerian king Gilgamesh who ruled the city of Uruk around 2700 B.C. The main character in The Epic of Gilgamesh is a very powerful man who is two-thirds immortal and one-third man. He too is thought to be a hero and possesses many of Beowulf’s heroic values, but he also possesses many differences.
Hailed as the template of an epic poem is the anonymous epic tale, Beowulf. Beowulf's noble blood, the vast setting expanding beyond the mead hall Herot, Beowulf's strong, honorable spirit, a battle of good against evil, life and death themes, and the formal speech of the text - all of these blend into a classic epic poem.
The Middle Ages encompass one of the most turbulent periods in English History. Starting with the Battle of Hastings and the Norman Conquest. When Duke William of Normandy, better known as William the Conqueror effectively took all of the lands from the Saxon English and gave them to French nobles. there were some points that took my attention the
As its name suggests, Middle English is the language that was spoken in the country of England around the 12th to 15th centuries. Middle English became the prominent language in England near the end of the 11th century shortly after the Norman invasion by William the Conqueror in 1066. Unlike England's preceding language, Old English, Middle English evolved into much more of a written language. There were many writers and educated English scholars who worked to translate Old English texts into the new Middle English language. There were also writers, such as Geoffrey Chaucer, who used the Middle English language to write new works which employed new and creative literary techniques. One such work, The Canterbury Tales, is a work that has been recognized as having an extreme significance on the development of the Middle English language. This work is argued to be the greatest literary contribution to the Middle English language and is credited with popularizing the language among literary scholars. However, despite its historical influence on the Middle English language, the significance of the work is less seen today because of the evolution of Modern English. As a result, it is important to investigate the origins of this work and in so doing, make an effort to realize the overall importance of reading the text in its original Middle English language.
All though, Beowulf is still the oldest poem with no author he still represents a hero that is still admired today. His characteristics along with inhuman strength, loyalty, and courage make him an epic
As you can see, there are many differences and similarities between these distinctive periods in literary history. The Anglo-Saxon period was the time of heroism. The Medieval period was the time of chivalry and courtly love. The Renaissance period was the time of a rebirth and humanism. Lastly, the seventeenth century was a time of the Puritans and the Cavaliers. Each period revolved a new topic, theme and writing style. However, no matter what differences our literature goes through, we always go back into our roots and pull out our beginnings and use them efficiently. The English language has surely evolved through each stage of time and it will continue to grow to new heights because of its predominant history.
The Political, social and cultural impacts on the English language during its Old English phase.
Baugh, A.C., & Cable, T. (2001). A history of the English language (5th ed.). Abingdon, UK: Routledge.
The beginnings of English can be found in the occupation of England from the 5th century by north and west German ethnic groups who brought their 'indigenous dialects' (Seargeant, P. 2012, p. 1). The Oxford English Dictionary defines English as 'Of or related to the West Germanic language spoken in England and used in many varieties throughout the world' (Seargeant, P. 2012, p. 7). Invasion in the 9th century by Scandinavians, who settled in the north of England and the establishment of Danelaw in 886 AD defining the area governed by the Danes in the north and east, had a marked effect on the language spoken there (Beal, J. 2012, p. 59). These periods are known as Early and Later Old English (Beal, J. 2012, p. 50).
Old English (450-1100 AD), which is also referred to as Anglo-Saxon, is thought historically to be the earliest form of the English language. Originating with the arrival of three West Germanic tribes, who encroached