This review of the critical reception of Old English literature from 1900 to the present moves beyond a focus on individual literary texts so as to survey the different schools, methods, and assumptions that have shaped the discipline.
- Examines the notable works and authors from the period, including Beowulf, the Venerable Bede, heroic poems, and devotional literature
- Reinforces key perspectives with excerpts from ten critical studies
- Addresses questions of medieval literacy, textuality, and orality, as well as style, gender, genre, and theme
- Embraces the interdisciplinary nature of the field with reference to historical studies, religious studies, anthropology, art history, and more
The Anglo-Saxons produced a stunning array of writings both in Latin and, importantly, in the English language of their time. By the end of the Middle Ages, however, Old English literature had fallen into oblivion. It was not until the Renaisance and later times that shcolars began to bring many of these works back to light. Today they are a precious part of the world's literary heritage, even while provoking a wide range of critical responses, the laws, chronicles, and other writings of Anglo-Saxon England have had a lasting influence on modern social institutions.
Angl-Saxon Studies offers readers a fascinating account of the sometimes contentious process by which knowledge of the literature of this period was recovered, and how Anglo-Saxon England became and remains a "useful past" for scholars, artists, creative writers and thinkers.
The book thus offers a wide-ranging assessment of the history of Anglo-Saxon studies as a discipline, starting from its post-Conquest beginnings and continuing to the present day. After establishing the earlier history of the field, the book delves into an analysis of the recent criticism of Old English literature, featuring excerpts from ground-breaking essays that illustrate the most important critical trends of the past fifty years, and show the field's continuing dynamic evolution.
Anglo-Saxon Studies provides a valuable critical overview for anyone interested in early medieval literature and culture.
