Brief History of English Language and Literature

First let us discuss about the title of this post hence you will come to know the purpose of your interest and need in reading this. History is crucially important to any stream, it is all about knowing the root, where, when and how it all started. English is a language which started to bloom in the early 14^th century because of Chaucer’s influence, but what happened before that. Where it has begun, the details about the land, people and society, the poets and their work, the answer of all these questions has been summed up here in the form of short sections.  

Old English or Anglo Saxon Literature

During the 5^th century the people of European continent particularly the tribes from north German who later settled in England used old English as a spoken language.  There is no written old English script available in that period before the people learn Latin alphabets. The very first work in old English was written by the man Caedmon, it is a collection of poems entitled as Caedmon’s Hymn. The first poet of Old English is an illiterate, a cowherd who doesn’t know anything about the elements and terms. Always the history teaches miracle things and confidence that every great thing achieved from small ideas.

The Norman Conquest Plays a Vital Role

Before the Norman Conquest Latin is the only language that influenced English but in 1066 the King Harold of England challenged by the Duke of Normandy for the throne of England, The battle of Hastings. The war was won by the Norman king, and gradually the French language became the court language of England. During this time more than 4000 words from French has been adapted to English, most of them are still in use.

Poets and Poems of Old English

The Epic, Beowulf: The most important work existed in the old English literature written in 5^th or 6^th century by anonymous author. The main character Beowulf, a hero of the Geats who fights with great demons and proves his strength to the world has been beautifully described. The work reflects the characteristic of people and society of that century.

Bede's Death Song: This poem is written by Bede, a saint who lived in 7^th century wrote a wonderful poem and many historical, theological and scientific works in Old English.

Alfred: Alfred, the great, the king of Wessex in 9^th century. He wrote several poems at the time of his rule, he also one among the great poets of old English.