This course offers an introduction to the language and literature of pre-Conquest England. The range of texts for reading and translation includes stories about the miraculous origins of English verse, the beast-killing heroics of Beowulf, the disastrous defeat of the Maldon men who fell to the Vikings … We’ll also read more contemplative verses, including the mournful meditations of the hope-hindered speaker of the Wanderer and the peculiar confession of the Holy Cross in the Dream of the Rood, which tells the story of the Crucifixion from the point of view of the Rod.
As we plod through the grammar—and understand that this will require a deal of memorization on your part—we’ll incorporate lectures and discussions on various aspects of Anglo-Saxon studies: the origins of the Anglo-Saxons themselves, where they lived, what they ate; we’ll have a look at some manuscript facsimiles and talk about the book-making process of the time; and we’ll cover some important archaeological discoveries (Sutton Hoo, Staffordshire) and consider how these relate to the literature. In the end, you’ll have a working knowledge of Old English, which means you'll be to translate with the help of a dictionary. You’ll also have and a better understanding of Modern English, insofar as you better appreciate its early history.
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