Chapters 1—2 英国文学简史(English Literature）.ppt

English Literature Chapters 1—2 Key Points in Chapter 1 The Old English (Anglo-Saxon) Period History of Invasion Anglo-Saxons Caedmon Beowulf King Alfred the Great Beowulf significance Outline of the Story Medieval Literature: A Brief Introduction 1066—Norman Conquest—Middle English—Feudal Society The Arthurian Legends Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Robin Hood John Wycliffe The Old English Period History of Invasions 5th century BC: tribal kingdoms of Celtic people 55 BC: invaded by the Roman Empire (under control for over 400 years) 5th Century: by Germanic people: the Angles and the Saxon From the late 8th century on: by ferocious Vikings from Scandinavia 1066: by Normans from northern France, descendants of Vikings The Old English Period Anglo-Saxons 5th century invaded and defeated the Celts and the Romans A branch of Germanic tribes 597 AD: began to be converted to Christianity Basically barren in literary creation The Old English Period Caedmon Second half of the 7th century The first known poet in English literary history The Old English Period King Alfred the Great 9th century Defeated a wave of invasions Brought peace, security and prosperity Built schools, wrote annals, and encouraged cultural growth Decided that literature should be written in the vernacular, or Old English Beowulf Significance The only organic whole poem to come out of the Anglo-Saxon period An epic of well over 3,000 lines Probably the greatest epic ever left by the ancient Germanic tribes The most ancient ever since the demise of the Greek and Roman literature Beowulf Outline of the Story 8th century Scandinavia, Sweden, Denmark, King Hrothgar Sea monsters Grendel and his mother Fiery dragon Medieval Literature: A Brief Introduction 1066—Norman Conquest—Middle English—Feudal Society 1066: the French-speaking Normans conquered England The last Anglo-Saxon King Harold died in the battle of Hastings Marked the beginning of the Middle English or Anglo-Norman period Establishment o