How to Read Old English Poetry (c.450-1066) | Lecture 5
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- čas přidán 27. 07. 2024
- This lecture includes readings of Old English (Anglo-Saxon) and close readings of Beowulf in Old English and in translation. I also explain Old English poetics and meter as we read from lyric poems such as "The Seafarer," "The Dream of the Rood," and "The Wife's Lament".
As we’re beginning our survey course on English poetry, this first lesson will be an introduction to Old English poetry, what is often called Anglo-Saxon poetry. This lecture will equip you to explore Old English poetry in translation on your own. In the description below, I’ve also added some useful resources. But check out Johanna Alden's lecture on Old English Riddles: • Lecture 2: Reading Old...
Join the live lectures: patreon.com/CloseReadingPoetry
Resources:
Old and Middle English c. 890-c.1450: An Anthology, ed. Elaine Treharne.
The Cambridge Companion to Old English Literature, ed. Malcolm Godden & Michael Lapidge.
General Essential Articles for the Study of Old English Poetry, ed. J.B. Bessinger and S.J. Kahrl.
A History of the English Language, 3rd ed. by A.C. Baugh.
The Beowulf-poem unveiled: 0:00-6:00
Grendel arrives (in Old English): 4:35-7:40
Join live discussions: 8:18-9:00
How Old English poetry works: 9:00-16:19
Old English or Anglo-Saxon?: 16:43-17:55
The spiritual character of OE Poetry: 17:55-21:13
Discussing The Dream of the Rood: 21:13-25:57
Discussing The Seafarer: 25:57-32:25
Discussing The Wife's Lament: 32:25-35:07
The Role of the Anglo-Saxon Poet: 35:07-37:14
Kennings: 37:14-39:25
Legacies: Tolkien, Auden, Hopkins: 39:27-45:03
I am from South Asia and I decided to become english poet. I watch your videos
Thank you mr Adam for your wonderful cultural literary channel. I gathered main information about topic you mentioned briefly here it’s first of all I looked up for definition of old English poetry or known as ( Anglo Saxon poetry ) it’s encompasses verse written during 600 years Anglo Saxon period of British history, from mid -
Fifth century to Norman conquest of 1066. Style of old English poetry is alliterative verse . It’s written in single meter , four stress line with syntactical break or caesura between second and third stresses, with alliteration linking two halves of line , this pattern is occasionally varied by six stresses line .themes of old English poetry include beasts of battle and cliff of death . For example mentioned of ravens , eagles, wolves , violent depictions of battle . Among most documented themes is hero of beach . Longest old English poem is Beowulf. Old English poetry doesn’t have rhymes. Largest collection of old English poetry is Exeter book . First poet of old English is Caedmon.
Thank you for covering Old English.
_Þæs ofereode, þisses swa mæg_
So excited for this series!! Thank you for taking time to put out this amazing content for all of us ❤
Thanks for watching!
This was a lovely introduction but don’t think that you’ve convinced me to take it up on my own! 😂
On the other hand last year I read the Epic of Gilgamesh - something I never expected to do. 🎉
Thank you for releasing this! We were so bummed to miss the lecture!
We missed you two! We'll be back on the usual Tuesday schedule next week.
Fantastic!!! So excited for the rest.
If you please I looked up for themes of old English poems you mentioned wife of lament or wife complaint consisted of 35 lines found on folio 115 of Exeter book , generally treated as elegy in manner of German frauenlied or woman song . Theme of woman mourning her husband departure . Seafar is Anglo Saxon elegy in old English translated by multiple lines most notably by American poet Ezra pound - poem deals with themes of searching for purpose, dealing with death and spiritual journey. Dream of rood is written by unknown poet , centers around vision that speaker has crucifixion of Christ , genre dream poetry . I hope you like my research. Happy mother day to you . We celebrate mother day in Arabic countries as well as England. Best wishes for you your dearest ones .
This rules!! Thank you!
A fine reading of Old English indeed. This is the lecture we've been waiting for from Walker's "hron-rād" of knowledge
😆 very kind, Geoffrey. I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you!
Verse, taking the basic unit of the poetic line as the foot, being itself measured writing is concerned with the shifting rhythms, sounds and stresses of language. It is the closest thing to music as it relates to literature. You're doing the public a service, free of charge Adam!
Well said! Thanks for the kind words, too.
@@closereadingpoetry It was my pleasure man. Already subscribed👍👍 I'm a poet myself. Checking to see if you know what you're talking about 😃. You got it!
The Seafarer always brings to mind, to me, Walt Whitman: 'I sing a song of myself...'
That's whats up homie 😎
This is excellent, but your timestamps are I think a little off!
9:15 "the Anglo-Saxons were north Germanic tribes"
This is a confusing to say. Germanic peoples are divided into three; East Germanic (Goths, Vandals, Burgundians) North Germanic (Swedes, Norwegians, Danes, Icelanders) and West Germanic (Low Germans, High Germans, Dutch, Frisians, and English). The Anglo-Saxons were all West-Germanic, not North-Germanic. They're only "north Germanic tribes" in the sense that they lived in the northern part of Europe (specifically they lived originally in an area of land stretching from northern Netherlands to Denmark, and later crossed over the sea to England) but you shouldn't call them north Germanic because I would think of the actual grouping called "North Germanic"