Anglo-Saxon literature, also known as Old English literature, refers to works written in Old English in Anglo-Saxon England between the seventh century and the decades following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The oldest manuscripts of English literature have been acting as the bedrock and the very foundation of Old English Literature for over 1500 years. Such manuscripts were not written in English. It was written in an older form of English, which is impossible to be understood by a native English speaker unless one exclusively learns the language.
Old English literature consists of sermons, accounts on the lives of saints, biblical translations, poetry and hymns, practical works on grammar, medicine and geography, etc. Their works are often inherent in literature and culture. Almost 400 manuscripts, some 189 of which are considered ‘important,’ have survived.
Examples of Old English Literature that one can read –
- Cædmon’s Hymn (658-680)
The Cædmon’s Hymn was the first example of an English poem in English Literature. The first named English poet was Caedmon, who was a cowherd in the Abbey of Whitby. An 8th Century monk named Bede wrote a story of his life in the “Cædmon’s Hymn”. Bede’s text was written originally in Latin, and then translated to Old English. It is one of the most important pieces of Old English Literature.
- Beowulf (700-800 A.D)
In this piece, Beowulf is an extraordinary man who makes as an ideal person. His love for family, kindness, empathy, and general avoidance of violence and destruction is balanced by his bravery and efficiency in combat. Beowulf is a heroic poem widely considered to be the pinnacle of Old English literature and the first European vernacular epic.
Among the Old English prose works, are legal books, medical tracts, holy texts, and translations from Latin and other languages. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle is a historical record that started around the time of King Alfred’s reign (871–899) and lasted more than three centuries.