Literary History Introduction

• Engels
• Middelbare school

Introduction

Read the introduction & 'Why study it' from the reader.

Then, try to answer the following questions.

What does repositories mean?

1. a part of humanity from long ago
2. a place where things may be stored
3. a book that includes stories, poems and plays
4. our cultural heritage

True or false: Literary history helps us interpret the human experience

1. Yes
2. No

What does 'perceptive' mean?

What is a caveat?

1. a short answer
2. part of western literary tradition
3. a limitation, warning or proviso stipulation
4. a way to discuss culture

In what year was the Norman Invasion?

What language(s) did the Normans speak?

1. English
2. Spanish
3. Latin
4. French

Was French the language of the British Monarchy after the Norman Vikings conquered England?

1. No
2. Yes

The Medieval Period

One of the most important pieces of English literature from this time is the epic poem Beowulf. Many experts think was written sometime between the eighth and ninth century - again, because it was so long ago, nobody really knows. The story features the titular hero Beowulf confronting a monster named Grendel and then Grendel's mother and then a dragon. It is considered to be the first major work of English literature that exists. This is written in Old English, which is not anything that anyone should be expected to understand, but it is a predecessor to our current language.