OLD & MIDDLE English | E@6 Videopedia | TES | Kalyani Vallath | NTA NET, K SET, G SET, WB SET, GATE
Summary
TLDRThis 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
- ποΈ The oldest inhabitants of Britain were the Celts who had a tribal society with their own Celtic languages and pagan religion.
- πΊ Julius Caesar visited Britain but did not conquer it, and it was after his death that the Romans invaded and established infrastructure.
- π° In the 5th century AD, Romans left Britain due to attacks on Rome by barbarians, leading to the fall of the Western Roman Empire.
- π‘ The Anglo-Saxons, including the tribes of Angles, Saxons, and Jutes, were invited as mercenaries to protect the Celts and later settled in Britain.
- π Old English literature, also known as Anglo-Saxon literature, began in the 5th century AD and was characterized by its synthetic and inflectional language.
- π Old English had four major dialects: Northumbrian, Mercian, West Saxon, and Kentish, with West Saxon being the most important.
- π Old English literature included both religious and secular works, with 'Beowulf' being the oldest known English epic.
- π£οΈ Old English poetry was oral, bold, strong, and full of emotions, using techniques like alliteration and kenning.
- π° The story of 'Beowulf' is a classic epic of heroism, showing the hero's achievements and the ultimate futility of human life.
- π The Venerable Bede and other historians are significant sources of Old English literature, providing insights into the culture and language of the period.
- π° King Alfred the Great contributed to Old English literature by translating works and recording events in the Anglo-Saxon period.
- π° 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
π 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.
π 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.
π 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.
π 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.
π° 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.
Mindmap
Keywords
π‘Celts
π‘Anglo-Saxon Period
π‘Old English Language
π‘Beowulf
π‘Alliteration
π‘Kenning
π‘Venerable Bede
π‘Alfred the Great
π‘Norman Conquest
π‘Middle English Period
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]
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