Lecture 1 English Literature: Early-middle Ages

“The Song of Beowulf” 
 
The beautiful Anglo-Saxon poem “Beowulf” tells us of times long before the Anglo-Saxons 
came to Britain. The poem was compiled in the 10th century by unknown scribe. Scribe was a man 
who put down folk songs. The manuscript is in the British Museum, in London. This song gives 
vivid description of the life of that period. The action takes place among the Geats [gi:ts] or Jutes 
who lived on the Scandinavian Peninsula at the time and the tire Danes, their neighbors who lived 
across the strait.

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Beowulf is a young man who lived in the 6th century. The poem is divided into two parts. 
The first part tells about the deeds of the Beowulf in his youth. The second part gives a description 
of his deeds before his death. The king of Danes Hrothgar built a palace near the die sea where the 
feast with his warriors. One night when his warriors had fallen asleep the Monster Grendel carried 
off 30 men. Night after night warriors disappeared. The beautiful palace stood empty and useless. 
This misery went on for 12 years. The news of horrible deeds of the monster spread to the countries 
and reached Beowulf.
Beowulf chose 14 companions and made up his mind to rid the Danes of the sea-monster. 
They sailed across the strait. At night when all went to sleep, Grendel came into the hall. A 
desperate hand to hand struggle began. The monster thought he had never met with such strength. 
Beowulf managed to tear off the monster's arm and the beast crawled away to die. In the morning 
he hung the arm and shoulder in the hall and the Danes wondered how he could have done it. A 
banquet [bæenkwit] was given in honour of Beowulf. But Grendel's mother came to avenge her 
son's death. She was very wild with anger. She killed one of Beowulf s friends and went away. 
Beowulf then went down to look for the she- monster.
At last he met the monster at the sea bottom. The she -monster was as strong as her son was. 
Beowulf might have come to a sad end, but just in time he saw magic sward on the wall and killed 
the monster. All the people were fond of Beowulf. Then he became the king of the Juts. For 50 
years he ruled wisely and well. His was a prosperous country. But someone came every night to 
destroy the villages and the crops in his kingdom. It was a fire-spewing dragon. Beowulf decided to 
fight against him. In a fierce battle the dragon was killed but Beowulf was badly injured and died.
Beowulf being fierce and cruel in war he respected men and women. He was ready to 
sacrifice his life for them. Beowulf fought for the benefit of his people, not for his glory.
In the year 1066, Normans after the battle at Hastings conquered England. Within five years 
William the Conqueror was complete master of the whole of England. The lands of England were 
given to the Norman barons and they compel the peasants to work for them, William the Conqueror 
could not speak a word of English, Communication went on in three languages: 
1. At the monasteries, learning went on in Latin;
2. Norman-French was the language of the ruling class spoken at court and in official 
institutions;
3. The common people spoke their own mother tongue.
The aristocracy idealized the feudal system showing the bravery of knights. Many of the 
stories come from French and English poetry was influenced by French romances.
A well-known poet of this time was Wace He was born at the beginning of the 12th century. 
He received his education in Literature. Then he was invited to the Court Henry I as a chaplain. A 
Chaplain was a clergyman who conducted services in the private chapel of a great person. Henry II 
ordered Wace to write a history of England.
These romances were called:
1 "Brut or the Acts of the Britts" (Deeds of the Britons)
2. "Rallo (or Hrolf) of the Acts of the Normans"
These two rhyming chronicles were his chief works.
In the first romance the poet tells his readers Brutus legendary fore father of the Romans 
have discovered the Island and called it Brutannia (Britain).
Wace imitated the Latin books of history and added to his composition the songs Welsh 
bards who sing songs of freedom which they enjoyed before the Anglo-Saxon came to the England.
Questions for Consolidation 
1. Spoken languages in British Isles after the Anglo-Saxon`s conquest.
2. The main idea of the song of “Beowulf”.
3. Norman period literature.