ANGLO-SAXON LITERATURE
What is Anglo-Saxon Literature?
This period of English literature developed mainly from the 7th to the 11th centuries.
In what year did Bede complete The Ecclesiastical History of the English People?
731
What term was used for long narrative stories in verse or prose about the adventures of heroes?
romances
What type of short story usually features animals and teaches a moral lesson?
fable
Who is Caedmon?
He was a shepherd at Whitby Abbey and became an early Anglo-Saxon poet.
Which English king promoted education and translated important works from Latin into Anglo-Saxon?
Alfred the Great
What medieval code emphasized bravery, honor, courtesy, generosity, and protection of the weak?
chivalry
What type of humorous metrical tale was influenced by French literature and became popular among townspeople?
fabliau
What is Paraphrase?
This is Caedmon's famous poem based on biblical stories.
Who collected the Arthurian romances and wrote Morte d’Arthur?
Sir Thomas Malory
What literary ideal required a knight to demonstrate his devotion to a noble lady through brave deeds?
courtly love
What language were the fabliaux written in when they became part of English medieval literature?
Middle English
What are Elene and Juliana?
These two poems are associated with Cynewulf.
Who defeated the English army at the Battle of Hastings in 1066?
William, Duke of Normandy, or William the Conqueror
Which legendary king and his knights became the central figures of many medieval English romances?
King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table
How did fabliaux differ from medieval romances in their treatment of characters?
Fabliaux presented ordinary and imperfect characters rather than idealized heroes.
What are monasteries?
This institution became an important center of reading, writing and education.
Who is considered one of the most important historians of early England and the author of The Ecclesiastical History of the English People?
Venerable Bede
What were the French medieval poets who brought romances to England called?
trouveres
What kind of attitude toward life is characteristic of the fabliaux?
A practical and humorous attitude toward everyday life.