OLD & MIDDLE English | E@6 Videopedia | TES | Kalyani Vallath | NTA NET, K SET, G SET, WB SET, GATE

Summary

This video script offers an insightful exploration into the evolution of English literature from Old English to Middle English periods. It begins with the ancient inhabitants of Britain, the Celts, and traces the influence of Roman rule and the eventual arrival of the Anglo-Saxons. The script delves into the Old English period, highlighting the significance of Beowulf and the works of Caedmon, emphasizing the oral tradition and linguistic features like alliteration and kenning. It transitions to the Middle English period, marked by the Norman Conquest and the influence of the Catholic Church, leading to social unrest and the eventual Renaissance. The video concludes with a nod to the works of Geoffrey Chaucer and the European masters, setting the stage for future discussions on medieval literature.

Takeaways

• 🏛️ The oldest inhabitants of Britain were the Celts who had a tribal society with their own Celtic languages and pagan religion.
• 🏺 Julius Caesar visited Britain but did not conquer it, and it was after his death that the Romans invaded and established infrastructure.
• 🏰 In the 5th century AD, Romans left Britain due to attacks on Rome by barbarians, leading to the fall of the Western Roman Empire.
• 🛡 The Anglo-Saxons, including the tribes of Angles, Saxons, and Jutes, were invited as mercenaries to protect the Celts and later settled in Britain.
• 📜 Old English literature, also known as Anglo-Saxon literature, began in the 5th century AD and was characterized by its synthetic and inflectional language.
• 🎭 Old English had four major dialects: Northumbrian, Mercian, West Saxon, and Kentish, with West Saxon being the most important.
• 📚 Old English literature included both religious and secular works, with 'Beowulf' being the oldest known English epic.
• 🗣️ Old English poetry was oral, bold, strong, and full of emotions, using techniques like alliteration and kenning.
• 🏰 The story of 'Beowulf' is a classic epic of heroism, showing the hero's achievements and the ultimate futility of human life.
• 📜 The Venerable Bede and other historians are significant sources of Old English literature, providing insights into the culture and language of the period.
• 🏰 King Alfred the Great contributed to Old English literature by translating works and recording events in the Anglo-Saxon period.
• 🏰 The Norman Conquest in 1066 AD marked the end of the Anglo-Saxon period and the beginning of the Middle English period, which was characterized by social changes and the influence of the Catholic Church.

Q & A

Who were the original inhabitants of Britain mentioned in the script?

The original inhabitants of Britain were the Celts, who came from somewhere in the continent and established their tribal society in Britain.

What was Julius Caesar's interest in Britain?

Julius Caesar visited Britain and saw it as a nice place that he might have wanted to conquer, but he died too soon to do so.

How did the Romans impact Britain after their invasion?

The Romans established good infrastructure in Britain, building roads and buildings, and systematizing the society. The Celts were happy under Roman rule but were powerless.

Why did the Romans leave Britain in the 5th century AD?

The Romans left Britain because Rome itself was attacked by barbarians, and the Roman Empire had become corrupt and less focused on military conquest.

What happened to the Roman Empire after the fall of the Western Roman Empire?

The Eastern Roman Empire, also known as the Byzantine Empire, flourished for another 1000 years after the fall of the Western Roman Empire, with its capital at Byzantium, until it fell to the Ottoman Turks in 1453.

Who were Hengist and Horsa, and why did they come to Britain?

Hengist and Horsa were leaders of the earliest Anglo-Saxons, including the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes. They were invited as mercenary tribes to protect the Celts from attacks by other tribes.

What is the Old English period, and when did it occur?

The Old English period, also known as the Anglo-Saxon period, occurred from the 5th to the 11th century AD and is the beginning of English literature and the English language as we know it today.

What are some notable features of Old English language and literature?

Old English was synthetic and inflectional, full of Germanic words, and had four major dialects. Its literature included religious and secular themes, with 'Beowulf' being the oldest known text.

How was Old English literature primarily transmitted?

Old English literature was mostly oral and has come down to us in four manuscripts: the Junius Manuscript, the Exeter Book, the Vercelli Book, and the Nowell Codex.

What is the significance of 'Beowulf' in Old English literature?

'Beowulf' is the oldest known epic in English and showcases features of Old English poetry such as alliteration, kenning, and themes of heroism and the futility of human life.

Who is considered the father of Old English literature, and what is his known work?

Caedmon is considered the father of Old English literature. His known work is a nine-line poem called 'Caedmon's Hymn.'

What major event marked the end of the Anglo-Saxon period and the beginning of the Middle English period?

The Norman Conquest in 1066 AD, led by William the Conqueror of Normandy, defeated the Anglo-Saxons and marked the beginning of the Middle English period.

Outlines

00:00

🏛 Early Britain and the Roman Invasion

The video begins by discussing the origins of Britain, highlighting the Celtic society of the Kells and their pagan religion. Julius Caesar's interest in Britain is noted, but his death prevented conquest. Post Caesar, the Romans invaded and established infrastructure, leading to a systematized Roman Britain. The Celts were content but powerless under Roman rule. In the 5th century AD, Romans left Britain due to internal attacks on Rome, leading to a power vacuum filled by barbarian tribes. A warlord, Vortigen, invited the Anglo-Saxons (Hengist and Horsa) to protect the Celts, marking the beginning of the Anglo-Saxon period in Britain.

05:03

📜 Old English Literature and its Characteristics

This section delves into Old English literature, emphasizing its roots in the cultures of the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes. The language was synthetic and inflectional, with a rich Germanic vocabulary. Old English had four major dialects, with West Saxon being the most significant. The literature included religious and secular works, with 'Beowulf' being the oldest known English epic. Both poetry and prose were prevalent, reflecting Christian and secular themes. The literature was largely oral, characterized by features like alliteration and kenning, and was passed down through four key manuscripts. The content often explored the themes of heroism and the futility of human life.

10:04

🐉 Beowulf: The Epic of Old English Literature

The paragraph focuses on the epic 'Beowulf,' a Scandinavian story set in Denmark, featuring the hero Beowulf who fights monsters Grendel and Grendel's mother. The narrative showcases the hero's life, achievements, and eventual death, reflecting on the values of life and the struggle between good and evil. The second part of 'Beowulf' sees the hero as a king battling a sea monster, ending in mutual destruction. The community's mourning of Beowulf's death highlights the collective significance of a hero's life and the enduring nature of community memory.

15:06

📜 Further Developments in Old English Literature

This section discusses the contributions of key figures in Old English literature, including Caideman, known as the father of Old English, and the Venerable Bede, a historian. It mentions works like 'Caedmon's Hymn' and the 'Caedmonian School' of poetry. The paragraph also covers King Alfred's translations and chronicles, which recorded events of the Anglo-Saxon period. It distinguishes King Arthur, a Celtic figure with legends not originally part of Anglo-Saxon literature but later incorporated into Middle English works. The section concludes with a mention of elegies, a significant poetic form of the period.

20:07

🏰 The Norman Conquest and the Shift to Middle English Literature

The final paragraph discusses the transition from Old English to Middle English literature marked by the Norman Conquest of 1066. It describes the period following the conquest as one of oppression and ignorance due to the dominance of the Catholic Church and aristocracy. However, it also notes the Church's role in preserving texts. The paragraph mentions the Hundred Years' War with France and the Black Death as catalysts for change, leading to the English turning inward and the beginning of the Renaissance. It concludes with the anticipation of a discussion on Geoffrey Chaucer, a pivotal figure in medieval literature.

Keywords

💡Celts

The Celts were the oldest inhabitants of Britain, as described in the video. They were a tribal society with strong kinship relations, and spoke Celtic languages. The Romans eventually invaded their land, but the Celts were powerless under Roman rule. This sets the stage for the Roman and later Anglo-Saxon periods in Britain, marking the early historical context of Old English literature.

💡Anglo-Saxon Period

The Anglo-Saxon period began after the Romans left Britain and mercenary tribes like the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes arrived to defend the Celts. This period, also known as the Old English period, is crucial for understanding the early development of English language and literature. It was marked by tribal warfare and the foundation of Old English culture.

💡Old English Language

Old English was a difficult and synthetic language, full of Germanic words and inflectional changes. It had four major dialects: Northumbrian, Mercian, West Saxon, and Kentish. The West Saxon dialect was the most prominent, and it formed the basis for much of Old English literature, which included both religious and secular works.

💡Beowulf

Beowulf is the oldest known epic in Old English literature and an important example of heroic poetry. It tells the story of a Geatish hero named Beowulf who battles monsters like Grendel and Grendel's mother. The second part of the epic focuses on Beowulf as a king who fights a sea dragon. The themes of heroism, mortality, and community are central to the narrative.

💡Alliteration

Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds and was a prominent feature of Old English poetry, including in works like Beowulf. This technique was used to create rhythm and emphasis in oral storytelling, making the poetry more engaging for listeners in an era when literature was primarily transmitted orally.

💡Kenning

A kenning is a descriptive phrase or metaphor used in place of a simple noun, common in Old English poetry. Instead of directly naming something, poets would use a more elaborate phrase, such as 'whale-road' for the sea. Kennings added depth and imagery to Old English verse, especially in works like Beowulf.

💡Venerable Bede

Venerable Bede was an important historian and writer during the Old English period. He wrote the 'Ecclesiastical History of the English Race,' which provided valuable insights into early English history and culture. Bede's works are among the few surviving records from the period, making him a key figure in the preservation of Old English literature and history.

💡Alfred the Great

King Alfred the Great was a key figure in the Anglo-Saxon period, known for his role in documenting historical events through chronicles and translating important texts into Old English. He is often credited with helping to preserve the culture and language of the Anglo-Saxons, and his contributions laid the groundwork for future English literature.

💡Norman Conquest

The Norman Conquest of 1066 marked the end of the Anglo-Saxon period and the beginning of the Middle English period. William the Conqueror defeated the Anglo-Saxons, establishing Norman rule in England. This conquest had a profound impact on the English language and literature, as French and Latin influences began to merge with Old English.

💡Middle English Period

The Middle English period followed the Norman Conquest and was characterized by great social and linguistic changes. The Catholic Church and aristocracy wielded immense power, leading to injustice and oppression. However, this period also saw the preservation of texts and manuscripts by monks, and it laid the foundation for the English Renaissance, as seen with writers like Geoffrey Chaucer.

Highlights

The oldest inhabitants of Britain were the Celts who established a tribal society with their own Celtic languages and pagan religion.

Julius Caesar visited Britain but died before he could conquer it.

The Romans invaded Britain later and established infrastructure and a systematized society.

The Romans left Britain in the 5th century AD due to the fall of the Western Roman Empire.

The Eastern Roman Empire, or Byzantine Empire, flourished for another 1000 years before falling to the Ottoman Turks in 1453.

After the Romans left, Britain was left without a ruler and was attacked by various tribes, including the Anglo-Saxons.

The Anglo-Saxon period began in the 5th century AD and is considered the Old English period.

Old English was a synthetic and inflectional language with four major dialects.

Old English literature included religious and secular genres, with 'Beowulf' being the oldest text and epic.

Old English poetry was characterized by boldness, strength, and emotional depth.

Old English literature often focused on the futility of human life and the inevitability of death.

Alliteration and kenning were linguistic features used in Old English poetry.

Beowulf is an epic set in Scandinavia, divided into two parts that explore heroism and the battle between good and evil.

The first part of Beowulf features the hero helping the Danish king Hrothgar against the monster Grendel.

The second part of Beowulf sees the hero as king, facing a sea monster and ultimately dying in battle.

Caedmon is considered the father of Old English literature, known for his hymn.

The Venerable Bede and other historians contributed significantly to our knowledge of Old English literature.

Old English literature was mostly oral and has been preserved in four major manuscripts.

The Norman Conquest in 1066 AD marked the end of the Anglo-Saxon period and the beginning of the Middle English period.

The Middle English period was characterized by injustice, oppression, and ignorance due to the power of the Catholic Church and aristocracy.

Towards the end of the Middle Ages, the English began to focus on their own language and history, leading to the beginning of English literature proper.

The Black Death in 1348 and the Peasant's Revolt in 1381 led to social unrest but eventually contributed to the Renaissance.

The transition to the Renaissance began with writers like Geoffrey Chaucer, influenced by European masters like Dante, Petrarch, and Boccaccio.

Transcripts

[Music]

[Music]

hello hello

this video is on old english literature

and middle english literature

let us talk about the beginnings of

britain

the oldest inhabitants of britain were

the kells

they came from somewhere in the

continent

and they established their

society

in britain

it was a very tribal society

dominated by kinship relations

they had their own celtic languages

celtic pagan religion

and

remember julius caesar

julius caesar 10 years before his death

visited britain

and he saw wow this is a nice place

he might have wanted to come and conquer

the kills

but he died too soon

after caesar's death many years later

the romans invaded the celts

the romans invaded britain

the romans were very militaristic people

powerful people

it was the time of the roman empire

and the beginning of the 80s

the romans established good

infrastructure there built roads

buildings

everything was more systematized in

roman britain

the celts were happy in the roman rule

but they were powerless

and it was at the beginning of

the 5th century a.d

that the romans all left britain and

went back to rome you know why

because

rome itself was attacked by barbarians

you know by this time roman empire had

flourished so much

that the roman generals became corrupt

they were living a life of pleasure and

luxury without caring for military

conquest anymore

this was the opportune moment for the

barbarians to attack rome

and all the romans left britain

this story is told by edward gibbon in

decline and fall of the roman empire

wait

roman empire was not only one roman

empire

it was two

the western roman empire and the eastern

roman empire

the western roman empire fell

in the beginning of the 5th century

and the eastern roman empire flourished

for 1 000 years more

that is the byzantine empire

the eastern roman empire had its capital

at byzantium

and it fell

to the ottoman turks in the 15th century

1453.

now

the cells are left without a ruler

all the romans left england more or less

and barbarians began to attack britain

now not only rome other

pigs scots and other such tribes began

to attack the celts

oh

the cells could not

defend themselves

one of their warlords

vortigen

went and invited mercenary tribes

to come and protect them

from the continent

to

leaders hengist and horsa

they brought their mercenary troops and

came and defended the celts

who are these hengists and horsa

they are the earliest

anglo-saxons

angles saxons and jutes three tribes

came to protect the celts

they understood wow what a nice island

let us settle down here

they stayed in england

the anglo-saxon period started

in the

8th to 5th century a.d

and

the anglo-saxon period

is the old english period

we always talk about the beginning of

english literature

from the old english period array

english the language the culture

is itself that of the angles

angles saxons and jutes

old english language

mind you was pretty difficult

it was synthetic and

inflectional that means the whole world

will change according to grammar

functions

and also it was full of germanic words

difficult words

there were four major dialects in old

english

northumbrian mercian west saxon and

kentish

out of which the western saxon dialect

was the most important

and old english had various genres that

were both religious as well as secular

had geography for example was an

important genre epic was important we

have the oldest text and epic in english

beowulf

both poetry and prose were written in

old english

and both christian and secular themes

were employed

most of what we know about old english

literature has come to us from venerable

bead and some other historians

the oldest writer that we know in old

english period is caideman

he's called the father of old english

kaitman

kinevolf sometimes he is pronounced sign

wolf

ill frick

venerable bead all very important

authors of old english periods

old english literature was mostly oral

and has come down to us in four

manuscripts

the juniors manuscripts

the exeter book the verisally book and

novel

codex these are the four manuscripts

novel codex is also called cotton

vitalius manuscript that is the beowulf

manuscript

old english poetry

was because it's oral

it was full of certain unique features

old english poetry is bold and strong

when you speak

you have to use language in a certain

way for effects

when i speak

i use my voice in a certain way

i use stress and intonation

i use gestures performance

these are all

ways in which you use oral language

effectively same things

are there in oral poetry

old english poetry is bold and strong

mournful and eligible and full of

emotions

because when you show emotions people

will feel attracted they will want to

listen to you

old english literature old english

poetry especially

is about heroes

their achievements but

it also was about the futility of human

life

old english literature understood old

english poets understood

that human beings are not all powerful

the greatness of the human being the

brilliance of human life

actually is a feature of

feature of

renaissance

that is humanism

starting from 14th 15th centuries

old english literature is not humanistic

old english literature is about the

futility of human life whatever

achievements you have in this world will

end with death

that is why they sing the glory of the

heroes also

and old english literature

used certain linguistic features

like alliteration alliteration is

repetition of consonant sounds

they also employed features like kenning

canning is a descriptive phrase an

elaborate phrase

instead of saying one word you describe

the thing that you are saying

all these features are found in the

oldest epic beowulf

epic in two parts

beowulf is a gheetish hero geets that is

the tribe

this is a story set in scandinavia where

is scandinavia north

if this is england

scandinavia is here

scandinavia norway finland sweden

denmark

major countries

and beowulf is a scandinavian story

in the first part of the world beowulf

is a brave warrior

he is helping the danish king hrothgar

the palace of hrothgar is called herod

and there is a monster grendel

who is

troubling the people of

the country

beowulf is injuring grendel grendel's

mother a bloody

revengeful monster

she comes for revenge

beowulf kills grendel and his mother

like in our

ancient stories of

other parts of the world

in india for example we have so many

ancient stories of heroes like this

legends and myths

this is also a story that shows a great

warrior his achievements in life

ultimately his death

good and evil fighting

there are so many

values of life that are taught

by these epics

and then the second part of beowulf you

are wondering what is that about

in the second part of the world beowulf

is the king

of the gates

and a sea monster is troubling the

country right now

beowulf kills the sea dragon

oh

he wounds the dragon but he is wounded

himself both died

like let our liar tease kill each other

you know there is an underlying pattern

for all these stories i suppose

the hero kills the villain but the

villain also wounds the hero and both of

them die but there's a big difference

between the death of the villain and the

death of the hero

when beowulf dies

the entire community mourns his death

there is a geetish woman a group of

women actually who moaned the death of

beowulf

it was a ritual you know like in

mahashvaita devi's rudali

women who were meant to cry and mourn

the death of great heroes

there's a lot of community feeling at

the ending of beowulf

it's a lot of

insightful

commentary

about human life its futility

what is enduring in human life how a

hero represents not an individual but an

entire community

how memory

leads to a community's history

and

the ending is a very beautiful part of

the epic

there has been a lot of critical

commendary on it

beowulf was perhaps a model for many

other works of old english literature

i told you already the father of old

english literature was kateman

you will think wow he's the father of

old english literature he must he must

have written a lot of words

that is why he is called the father not

at all

he has written only one nyan lined poem

bus finished

probably he wrote more we don't know for

sure

caitlyn's poem is called caitlyn's hymn

there are other poems or attributed to

him or probably inspired by him that is

called the cademonian school

like that there is a kneeven school

modeled on kinder wolf

these authors

laid the earliest traditions

of old english literature

there were scholars especially kinder

wolf

how to look at life

what is the philosophy of life

that is what you see in them

alfrick wrote homilies

wolfstand wrote sermon of the wolf

all important writers

they sometimes commented on history

and society they talked about sin and

the importance of devotion to god

and the venerable bead wrote

ecclesiastical history of the english

race

very important historical document

talk about history you can't avoid

talking about alfred king alfred

king alfred

wrote chronicles

chronicles he recorded

the events of anglo-saxon periods

not personally of course he must have

employed people to do it he's a king

after all

and there are lots of legends also about

him

there's a

there's a whole lot of

literature and stories associated with

king alfred

king alfred is also believed to have

made translations

both theo says consolation of philosophy

oroscius's history of the worlds have

you heard of that

pope gregory you might have heard

pope gregory's

pastoral rule or pastoral care

these are all books translated by alfred

hey

i forgot to mention another king you

might be you must be wondering about

that king right now

king arthur

why i did not mention him is because he

is not anglo-saxon

it is not that i forgot i wanted to tell

you that king arthur is not an

anglo-saxon king he is actually a celtic

king who fought against the saxons

king arthur also has a lot of legends

associated with him

arthurian legends

the story of aadhar and his wife

guinevere

guinevere's love with lawn

the love story of tristan and his olds

the quest for the holy grail

all are part of aadhari and legends

and the aadharian legends were all

written by actually french people mostly

in the 12th century

medieval periods

arthurian legends were written by kriti

and detroit

you might know thomas mallory is martina

means death of arthur

that is actually middle english

and then in the anglo-saxon period

are

elegies

energy originally means a passionate

poem

and there are seven major allergies in

the anglo-saxon period

dior wolf and advacer

then the wife's lament the husband's

message the ruin

the wanderer the seafarer

you know how i remember like this

because i have my own little codes

you know you should all have codes okay

to remember useful information so that

when you speak like this you will be

able to remember the code and using the

code you will be able to recollect

you'll really sound like a scholar then

so i was using a little code

dior wolf and advacer that i know

then wife is lamenting

then immediately husband will give a

message

when husband is unnecessarily advising

wife then there is ruin

wanderer husband becomes wanderer and

then after that he becomes seafarer

sexist story but

useful to remember

i'm just sharing my secrets with you

so

that is about the old english period or

anglo-saxon period the anglo-saxon

period ended

with the norman conquest

the norman conquest

1066 a.d

11th century

in the norman conquest

william the conqueror of normandy came

and tissue tissue

defeated the anglo-saxons

and established

the middle english period he didn't

really establish

that is the beginning of the middle

english period the middle english period

was a time of great injustice and

oppression

ignorance

because the catholic church and the

aristocracy were very powerful

they were controlling the people denying

the people opportunities of life no

luxury nothing people had to suffer

but the catholic church also did a

wonderful thing it recorded all the

great texts

in the monasteries

translations of manuscripts etc

and

in the towards the end of the medieval

period

things changed there was a hundred years

war with france

which

stopped the french influence

english people began to turn to

themselves their own history their own

language

english literature proper began

renaissance began at the end of the

middle ages

there was a black death in 1348

bubonic plague that killed hundreds of

people thousands of people

this led to a lot of social unrest and

turmoil but

after the black death settled down

everything changed for the better

there was a peasant's revolt in 1381

that gave some

more

freedom and

centrality to ordinary people before

that the ordinary people were like

animals

and

at the end of the middle ages finally

all the troubles ended and renaissance

don't

the renaissance

began with writers like jeffrey chaucer

in the medieval period in europe there

were great masters like dante petrarch

boccaccio

dante the writer of divine comedy

petrarch the man who perfected the

sonnets

dante was the first practitioner of the

sonnets

and boccaccio the first major prose

writer in english sorry in any european

language

vacation wrote decameron and other works

that influenced chaucer

they are the fountains of medieval

literature

so

this is an introduction

up to chaucer the next video that we

will watch will be on jeffrey chaucer

please read extra

please let me know if you have any

doubts you can post in the comment

section talk to me

[Music]

if you have any doubts if you need any

explanation i can always put a video

explaining those things separately all

right guys

be in touch

happy reading happy studying until the

next video bye bye

[Music]