Brit Lit Log[1]

9-3-08 Why am I taking this class? I am taking Brit Lit because I have never studied literature before the Renaissance. As English major, I feel a responsibility to be familiar with literature form this time period. Last semester I took an American Lit survey class and would like to learn something different. Most of my literary education has been focused on American works. As with most things in life, it is beneficial to broaden one’s perspective by being introduced to a different culture or view. It is also convenient that this class fulfills a requirement for my major. I am excited to take this class in order to grow as a writer and learn more about British Literature. 9-5-08 Middle Ages -time span of collapse of Roman Empire to Renaissance to Reformation Renaissance means rebirth Reformation was a religious movement with Roman Catholic Church -scholars perspectives • Relationship between middle ages and modern period- continuity • 16th century writers created their own glory in middle ages -late 14th century- an awareness of a pride in English literature arises -Close of 14th century- English literature became more prominent than French literature in official use (ei. Legal documents) • Chaucer choose to write poetry in his own English tongue 9-8-08 The Story of Caedmon (1) Caedmon was a man who lived by the monastery in a “secular” life. One night when he fled a feast to avoid “taking turns singing,” a heavenly being came to him in his sleep. This being commanded Caedmon to sing. Once he complied he sang a song he never heard before. The next morning he told the Abbess Hilda all that happened. The Abbess ordered him to repeat his song to an audience of learned men. Caedmon did sing and the men agreed he had been given a heavenly gift. The Abbess then instructed him to give up his old life for monastic vows. He agreed and went to create many heavenly verses which inspired men to draw away from sin. It is interesting how Caedmon composed these “heavenly verses” in the English language. That must demonstrate the lack of influence the Roman Empire had on Briton when this was written. It also demonstrates that the Anglo Saxons had settled by then. It is also interesting to note the role power plays in this text. Caedmon is at the judgment of the “learned men.” If they do not want the village to honor Caedmon for this religious experience, then what options would be left to him? He could either deny his experience or defy the men’s judgment and be exposed to ridicule. Either way Caedmon is at the mercy of these men. 1. Could it be argued that the Abbess has the ultimate say in this community or is she at the mercy of the learned men? 2. If the Abbess did not have the last say what historical implications would that have due to her being a woman?

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3. Can one draw conclusions about the way commoners were treated with closer look at Caedmon’s comparison to a “clean beast that chews the cud?” 9-10-08 The Story of Caedmon (2) This text is significant because it marks a specific time in history. It is written in English and thus demonstrates it was written after the Romans left in 410 CE. However, the pervasiveness of Christianity in this text also points to when Greggory the Great came to Briton to convert the Anglo Saxon peoples. It is also written in the Anglo Saxon Long line, thus after the Germanic tribes arrived in 453 CE, but the long line also points to the lack of French influence, who wrote in rhyme. The Britons only began to rhyme in 1066. This text is especially significant because it is probably the earliest Old English poem available. The author of this poem, Bede who lived from 673 to735, also lived in a monastery like the speaker of his poem. Monasteries at that time were schools to teach children how to read and write; they also were the only institutions to produce books. The monastery mentioned in the poem, Whitby, was one of few double centers; this meant nuns and monks would both share the monastery. Abbes Hilda lived from 614-680 and founded this center instead of marrying; she ruled for 22 years. The clerical estate or social class enjoyed a high standard of living due to their being able to read and write. Bede’s function in the monastery was to write stories about Kings or Religion. This was often referred to as a court poet. Bede uses many typical devices in this poem which is typical of his time such as the kenning and a dream vision. A kenning is the use of two nouns to describe one noun a different way such as “heaven-kingdom” for sky. A dream vision is a lesson someone learns while he or she is asleep and helps them to fix their struggles. In Anglo Saxon times dreams had great value and were taken very seriously. Caedmon has a typical dream vision with a problem, a solution provided by the dream, and upon waking the problem is resolved. Caedmon’s problem is his secular life style. His solution is to sing about God and create songs which will inspire others to be Christian. His problem is resolved when he wakes the Abbess invites him to become a monk. 9-12-08 The Dream of the Rood (1) The rood is an Anglo Saxon word for cross. The cross he is referring to is the one Jesus Christ died on. The narrator of the story is a dreamer who is told the story of the crucifixion from the cross’ point of view. The story begins with the “foes” that took him and shaped him. Then he stood “fast” when “God Almighty” was placed on him. Jesus is described with mighty names and bold actions during the crucifixion. Then he watched as other men took Jesus down and made a burial place for him. The cross is also buried like Jesus and is physically wounded. However, friends learned of the cross’ burial and later restored it to glory in gold. This is a reference to the time St. Helen, mother of Constantine, supposedly found the true cross in the 4th century. The cross continues to say God honored him above all the other trees, like he honored Mary above all other women, and those who carry the best of tokens should not fear judgment. The dreamer who originally was struggling with sin and is now presented with a solution, tell men of the cross’ story. His problem is resolved by praying to the tree which spoke to him and he vows to tell others this story. He now waits the time he will experience eternal joy in heaven.

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1. It is interesting how the cross urges all to take upon “tokens” to avoid judgment. Maybe this reflects pre-Christian practices? 2. What else did St. Helen do besides discover the cross and mother Constantine? 3. How did texts which portray Jesus’ persecutors as “foes” impact views on Jewish peoples? 9-15-08 The Dream of the Rood (2) The “Dream of the Rood” appears in a late 10th century text in Venice, but also carved on a cross in Southern Scotland. This cross is the famous Ruthwell Cross in Dumfries, Scotland. The author and date of the text is unknown. The speaker in the poem is a Christian who has lost his comitados and is “stained with sins.” His problem in this dream vision is that he is sinning and alone. He begins his story with a wonderful vision of a gold adorned cross that changes to one flowing with blood. Then “the best of trees” began to speak to him. The cross becomes the speaker and recounts the story of how Jesus was crucified on him. Jesus and the cross are equally described as Anglo Saxon warriors persevering through the affliction of “foes.” His tale is finished with how the cross was rescued from a deep burial pit by St. Helen and a commission to the speaker to tell all of his vision. Here the speaker is provided with a solution to his problem; to sin no more by telling all people of this holy vision and thus to be surrounded by people. Upon, awakening the problem is also resolved because the speaker will one day have another comitados in heaven and his commissioned actions on earth will prevent him from sinning. The speaker ends his with a glorious description of Jesus victory in the “foray” and his hope to be in heaven. Not only are there many Anglo Saxon comparisons to Jesus and the popular dream vision, but there are also many Anglo Saxon literary devices. The text includes the kennings: “earth-house,” “triumph-tree,” and gallows-tree.” Earth house is referring to the grave Jesus was buried into. There also is understatement, “they laid him down weary of limb;” Jesus was dead at that point so his limbs were beyond “weary.” Another type of understatement is in the text, litotes. Jesus was described as being “in small company” when he was completely alone. 9-17-08 The Battle of Maldon (1) This text focuses on a battle between the Vikings and the Anglo Saxons. The Vikings came upon Brithnoth, lord to the king Ethelred, and demanded tribute. They faced each other on the river Plant. Although Anglo Saxons were accustomed to giving gold in exchange for peace, Birthnoth chose to fight instead. He is described as overconfident in his decision. However, Birthnoth was killed and many of is lords fell when the “shield-wall” broke. Godric also fled and even took his lords horse to escape. Aelfric’s son, Aelfwine, and Offa encouraged the men to be bold when the Vikings saw the retreat. The remaining lords successfully encouraged the liden buckler and even the hostage to avenge Birthnoth’s death. The Anglo Saxons “stood fast in the fight.” Godric who fled the fight also returned and regained his honor. There are many kennings, “war-hedge,” and also understatements in this text, while warring “each meant harm to the other. In this Anglo Saxon text there are many pagan references and only a few Christian references at the end about the assurance of heaven after death.

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1. When the Anglo Saxon lords were riding and surprised by the Vikings, how much time would they have had to prepare for battle? 2. Why did the lords let their horses escape in the beginning and why did Brithnoth still have his? 3. Why was a hostage fighting in battle? 9-19-08 The Battle of Maldon (2) This battle is concerning the period when Vikings where attacking Briton in order to obtain wealth. The Vikings were violent warriors from Scandinavia who were not Christian. They had a specific type of boat which could travel over shallow waters and long distances, called long boats. With this transportation the Vikings were able to conquer much of Briton or demand tribute. Eventually a treaty was formed with the King of Wessex and these Britons were left along if they paid tribute. This continues until the reign of Ethlered who was unable to rule his comitados well, they dishonor the treaty by attacking the Vikings. The “Battle of Maldon” falls within this time period of unrest. The story begins when Brithnoth, lord to Ethlered. His comitados, who are riding horses, discover the Vikings are coming to demand tribute. Birthnoth commands them to let there horses go, this signifies they intend to fight because the Anglo Saxons never fought on horseback. The Vikings’ herald proclaims they will give peace in exchange for gold and feels there is “no need to destroy for us to destroy one another.” However, Birthnoth is confident; he boasts they will defeat the “heathens.” It is suggested that this overconfidence is what killed Birhtnoth in battle. Although a lord’s comitados is bound to avenge his death they are also released from his service upon death; many of Brithnoth’s lords fled upon his death, including Godric. The Vikings advance when seeing this retreat, but the Anglo Saxons raise morale so even the hostage is fighting to the death (hostages who fought at that time were commonly princes and lived comfortably in captivity). The Anglo Saxons then “have control of the battle field” which signified they could leave the enemy dead to be eaten by animals, bury their own dead, the comitados can take jewels from the enemy dead, and the lord will give back the won jewels to the comitados. Eventually victory is near and even Godric comes back to regain his honor. The Vikings are continually portrayed with pagan symbols such as the wolf, raven, and eagle; yet the Anglo Saxons still damn the “heathens” to hell. 9-20-08 William the Conqueror Obituary (1) This text is from the Anglo Saxon chronicle and is a historical record in English. Originally, the chronicle was copied in 891, but continued to be until 1154. This text begins at 1087 when William conquered Normandy and made war with the King of France, Phillip. He burned many buildings and even many people. However, the narrator says an “even more wretched thing happened to him” as if justice had been served; William became sick and suffered much till death. Then the narrator here is referred to as “we.” They promise to write about William so others may know who he was. They begin with describing him as “worthy,” “strong,” and “powerful.” However, he is eventually described as “harsh” and “violent;” he dismissed abbots who did not obey him, killed his own brother, and “dominated” other lands. This obituary

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continues with rhymed lines about William’s greed and domination over his people. The text ends with the insincere hope God will grant this king mercy for his bad ways. 1. Who is the narrator “we” referring to? 2. Do other texts of this time have no pagan references and very different style from the Battle of Maldon? 3. Did King Phillip’s Kingdom cover modern day France or was it much smaller? 9-22-08 William the Conqueror Obituary (2) This obituary was written in English during the time William the bastard was ruling England as well as his earldom, Normandy. William was a futile lord; he owned the entire country, but distributed part of his wealth to loyal noblemen. The former English nobility are mainly dead and the clergy have been dismissed. The present Abbots are Frenchmen who are not willing to learn the native English. However, some lower clergy still could read and write English; this is one such text they wrote. These clergy could write whatever they wanted about William because the Abbots could not read English. The author of this obituary first describes William as “wise,” “mild,” and “powerful.” However, the author also refers to him as “harsh and violent.” They continue their criticism by describing his actions as “wretched,” but still in the end he suffered a wretched death; the tone suggests justice had been served to their former King. One terrible act the author mentions is William’s imprisonment of his own half-brother, Odo. Odo was a clergyman who displeased his brother and was thrown in jail. To convince his brother otherwise he commissioned an embroidery of the victorious Battle of Hastings. This present does convince William otherwise and is still known today as the Bayeux Tapestry. The author continues to accuse William of arrogance, greed, and even stealing from his subjects. The obituary ends with the false hope God will spare William in spite of his terrible actions. There are no or few Pagan references in this text and many Christian references. 9-24-08 Lanval (1) This text was written by Marie de France in the Anglo Norman dialect during the 12th century. She probably spent most of her life in England. Her works were well read, appealing to men and women. “Lanval” is written as a lais or short narrative poem in verse. Scholars assert she was a highly educated noble, proficient in Latin and English as well as French, and she had independent ideas. The narrator of this text relates a tale in King Arthur’s Court, about a king’s son. Lanval may be a king’s son, but he is not honored by his family or friends; some don’t like him because they envy his bravery and attractive appearance. Lanval wanders eventually from court and two lovely maidens approach him. They bring him to their mistress who surpasses all beauty and wealth. Upon sight they pledge themselves to each other, and later pleasure each other. The lady bestows wealth upon him; she disappears, and he gives this wealth to all in King Arthur’s court. The Queen at court is captured by Lanval’s charms and she tries to seduce him. However, he refuses because of his lover. She then accuses him of rape and dishonor to her name. He goes to trail and his only saving grace is if his lover will appear. She actually does and takes him to her home in Avalon forever.

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1. Was any of Marie de France’s work not well accepted by men? 2. Did the Anglo Saxon’s comitados effect the French trials after they invaded Briton Mor did the French have a jury of noblemen before? 3. Was there any criticism about her portrayal of a man who weeps for his lover and eventually is whisked away in rescue? 9-29-08 Lanval (2) This text was most likely influenced by Eleanor of Aquitaine’s enthusiasm for Arabic love poetry. The crusades allowed foreign imports and literature into England, thus the Courtly Romance became popular. Love was also viewed as the noblest of feelings. The author of this text, Marie de France, was one of two important authors of this genre (the other was Cretein de Troyes). Marie de France wrote this poem as a Breton lais, such pieces borrowed stories from the Irish, Welsh, and Scots. This cultural tradition is seen in the lover of Lanval, a fairy queen who will present her self and boundless wealth at Lanval’s whim. The motif of the rash promise is also important in this poem; Lanval pledges to do anything his lady might command him and she requests he will never tell anyone about her person. He eventually breaks this promise when Queen Guinevere ties to seduce him. King Arthur, Guinevere, and the court are all nobility who do not act in a noble manner. The queen tries to seduce Lanval and then attempts revenge by an accusation which could mean his death. King Arthur gave nothing to Lanval although he is a visitor at court and his father is a rich king. The men at court despise him for childish reasons like his handsomeness, courage, and strength. After the Fairy Queen saves Lanval, he leaps onto her horse and they ride to the mystical land of Avalon. Avalon represented heaven in the Celtic tradition; this also suggests the characters cannot exist in reality. 9-30-08 The Miller’s Tale (1) This text by Chaucer is a story told by the town Miller in order to pass the time traditionally. The tale is centered on a town Carpenter, his wife, a tenant (the scholar,) and the town clergyman. All of these characters behave in ridiculous and self-serving ways. The carpenter is an extremely jealous and gullible husband. He allows a scholar, Nicholas the Gallant, to stay in his home. He is described as sly with a singular talent of “making love in secret.” His wife (a silly and flirtatious girl named Alison) and Nicholas pledge to have sex shortly after his arrival. To fulfill their pledge, they plan to fool the carpenter with a scheme, according to Nicholas, that will not require much “wit.” The clergyman is also interested in pursuing Alison; he occasionally serenades her by the room she shares in matrimony. To enjoy Alison’s company, Nicholas easily convinces the carpenter that God told him another flood was coming to wipe out the earth; to be safe, the carpenter, Alison, and Nicholas must have ready two tubs to float in. The day of the impending flood, Alison and Nicholas have their fun while clergyman comes by the room to woo Alison. Outside the window, he asks for a kiss and she sticks out her butt. The clergyman wants revenge and plans to use a fire poker next time she sticks out her butt. However, when the clergyman asks for another kiss, Nicholas pushes his rear

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out the window and screams when he is hit; this wakes the carpenter and most of the town. The carpenter announces the flood is coming and the town declares he is a lunatic. 1. There is so much irony in this text. Was that common for the time? 2. How did the church feel about how dirty Chaucer’s work was? 3. What does the prayer “Pater Noster mum” mean or is it just jibberish? 10-3-08 The Miller’s Tale (1) The author of The Miller’s Tale, Chaucer, was from the upper middle class of his society. He came from a family of wine merchants; however, they were heavily taxed because their status was not noble. At this time period there was much rebellion among the lower classes because of high taxes and no political representation. By 1381, the peasant’s war had started which Chaucer himself had witnessed. There also was much chaos in the religious institutions, such as the Babylonian Captivity. The French king invited the Roman pope to France in order to ensure his safety, but he was instead imprisoned. Eventually he left and another pope was elected in France. The Black Plague in 1348 also caused much distrust among the religious institution; so many clergyman simply left people to die by themselves because of rate the death toll was growing. In this fabliau (a funny and dirty tale) the clergyman, who is representative of the church, is represented negatively. He is chasing after young and married women, specifically dressed as a courtier. He says he will take his “soul and sell it to the Devil” to get revenge upon Alison. This contradiction most likely reflected how people of the time saw the church, as corrupt. The carpenter and his wife, Alison, are representative of the middle class, although Alison is probably used to more finery than her husband. They can afford to maintain their own house, pay servants, and dress Alison in finery. The carpenter is much older and very jealous (typical of a fabliau); his wife is extremely young, beautiful and very promiscuous (also typical of a fabliau.) The other important character is Nicholas, the scholar, who represents the upper middle class due to his being a student. He is witty, arrogant, and also promiscuous (typically the clergyman would have taken Nicolas’ place in a fabliau.) Chaucer pokes fun at these representations of society who are not aristocratic and also the romance, which had gone stale by the 14th century. 10-6-08 Utopia (1) Book 1 of Utopia is a conversation between More, the traveler Raphael, and the critical friends of More. The story opens with a tribute to the “most invincible king of England,” Henry the eight, as if More needed Henry’s blessing to write. However, this comes into the story later when the narrator continually appeals to the king to consider a different form of government. More is introduced to Raphael in the marketplace and they quickly fall into conversation. Raphael (an interesting, biblical name for a traveler) has crossed the globe over wild lands until he came to the land of Utopia. Raphael actually left this land to spread the good plan of a utopian government, although he continually declines More’s suggestion to enter the King’s service. They begin to talk about punishment of criminals. Raphael suggests criminals are impoverished and uneducated, thus forced into thievery and then punished for what society has done to them. More agrees and does so with most of Raphael’s ideas. However, the Cardinal and the lawyer

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offer counterpoints and probably what general society thought of government. Rapheal begins to describe more of Utopia and it becomes clear it is a society of enslaved people who share everything. More continues to appeal to Raphael to share this great idea to the King himself, but he declines arguing that the court would find him a crazy traveler. There conversation comes to no conclusion but talk more of this after lunch. 1. How did King Henry the eight react to this work? Did More have any influence on the King? 2. Much of this work is directly quoted in a modern version of Cinderella, Ever After. I wonder what about this almost communist version of government would interest a screenwriter? 3. Would the name Raphael have given More credibility for his controversial ideas, this name being one of the arc-angel? How seriously would have the people of his time have taken this allusion?

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