The poem begins with the destruction of Troy and the flight

of "Æneas the duke" into Italy. Brutus, a great-grandson of

Æneas, gathers his people and sets out to find a new land in
the West. Then follows the founding of the Briton kingdom,
and the last third of the poem, which is over thirty thousand
lines in length, is taken up with the history of Arthur and his
knights. If the Brut had no merits of its own, it would still
interest us, for it marks the first appearance of the Arthurian
legends in our own tongue. A single selection is given here
from Arthur’s dying speech, familiar to us in Tennyson’s
Morte d’Arthur. The reader will notice here two things: first,
that though the poem is almost pure Anglo-Saxon,47 our first
speech has already dropped many inflections and is more
easily read than Beowulf; second, that French influence is already at work in
Layamon’s rimes and assonances, that is,
the harmony resulting from using the same vowel sound in
several successive lines:

The narration begins when a knight enters the hall of King Arthur. He is the Green
Knight. He suggests a game. Any of the knights who had enough bravery to strike the
Green Knight’s head right off would get to keep his axe, but the challenger would
have to accept a similar strike within a year. Gawain accepts this challenge and chops
off the head of the green knight. The green night collects his chopped off head and
takes his leave, after informing Gawain to search for a Green chapel.

As the year came close to the end, Gawain sets out heading for the chapel, and he
comes across a castle placed in the desert. The lord there asks him to stay at least
past New Years. The lord proposes. That Gawain should stay at his castle while the
lord went hunting and the two would get to exchange their gains at the day’s end.

The exchange occurs over three days. While the lord is hunting each day, the lady of
the castle makes attempts to seduce Gawain. Gawain rejects the advances, but he
kisses her. She eventually gives him a magic belt meant to protect the wearer.
Gawain repays this with kisses but keeps the belt a secret.

Gawain gets to the Green Chapel. The knight makes two attempts to chop off his
head, but Gawain flinches twice. On the third swing, the Green Knight makes a small
cut on Gawain’s neck. He then reveals that he was the host at the castle and his
appearance was changed by Morgan le Fay. The Green night tells him that the first
two swings represented the first two days of the agreement they had where Gawain
gave him the kisses he received from the lady. The cut, however, was because he
accepted the belt and hid it. Gawain is filled with shame and puts on the belt as a
reminder of his transgressions. He goes back to Camelot and tells the tale. The court
bursts in laughter but honors him by wearing similar girdles. This becomes a
tradition.
5.Tell the story of Beowulf. What appeals to you most in the poem? Why is it a work
for all time, or, as the AngloSaxons would say, why is it worthy to be remembered?
Note the permanent quality of literature, and the ideals and emotions which are
emphasized in Beowulf. Describe the burials of Scyld and of Beowulf. Does the poem
teach any moral lesson? Explain the Christian elements in this pagan epic.

What is a short summary of the epic poem Beowulf?

Beowulf is an Old English story by an anonymous Anglo-Saxon poet. The
poem tells a story of a strong and brave warrior (Beowulf) who defeats monsters and
goes on to become King. Beowulf’s first major battle was against Grendel, a monster
that had been terrorizing the Scyldings.

What is the main idea of the story Beowulf?

The theme of the heroic code of chivalry is the leading theme of Beowulf. The
honorable behavior and manners have dominated the Anglo-Saxon culture. Courage,
bravery and the will to fight were considered basic norms of that heroic code.
Beowulf sticks to these norms from the very beginning as he comes across the
Danes.

How does Beowulf view death?

The poet of Beowulf constantly emphasizes that death comes to everyone at
whatever moment God decrees; there is nothing mortal man can do to avoid this
eventual fate. to his native place and the people who reared him. Beowulf doesn’t
enter into his battle with Grendel expecting to triumph over the demon.

6. What is meant by Northumbrian literature? Who are the great Northumbrian

writers? What besides the Danish conquest caused the decline of Northumbrian
literature?
a) One may also ask, what is meant by Northumbrian literature? Northumbrian
was a dialect of Old English spoken in the Anglian Kingdom of Northumbria.
b) center was the monasteries and abbeys, such as Jarrow and Whitby, and its
three greatest names are Bede, Cædmon, and Cynewulf

CHAPTER II- ANGLO NORMAN PERIOD

1. How did the Conquest affect the life and literature of England?
-The Norman Conquest contributed to the expansion of English culture and
literature. First,there was the enrichment of English Language and Literature by the
direct cultural and literary influence of Rome which the Norman had brought.
Secondly,there was the immense enlargement of Scholarship and learning as a result
of the contact with the scholars of Europe. Thirdly,literary themes and expressions
were greatly multiplied by the Norman inclusion of French themes and modes of
expression.
2. What types of literature were produced after the Conquest? How do they
compare with Anglo-Saxon literature? What works of this period are considered
worthy of a permanent place in our literature?
A. The period following the Conquest saw the rise of a body of popular tales, a great
majority of which is in verse often having a moral. Some of them are short
anecdotes, called exemplum, teaching a lesson or illustrating a point. The
counterpart of the ‘exempla’ was the ‘fabliau’, a kind of short story made by laymen
in the fashion of exemplum and circulated orally. Another type was bestiary, derived
from Aeshop’s fables and Physiologus. On the other hand, we find the writing of
some chronicles, mainly based on legends and imagination. The striking exception is
the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles, describing the miseries of the English under their
ruthless French rulers. Other instances can be made of Layamon’s Brut and Robert of
Gloucester’s Chronicle, The Bruce, Robert Maning’s Story of England etc. In order to
touch the heart of the conquered people and leave them to miracles and legends
connected with saints, the French clergy gave birth to a new kind of didactic and
religious verse such as Ormulum, Poema Morale, Cursor Mundi, The Prick of
Conscience, Synne etc. Along with the religious verses there appeared a new kind of
secular poems. This is known as Breton Lay; for instance, Sir Orfeo, Le Freins and Sir
Launfal. The Norman Conquest caused the death of the age-old Old English lyrics,
and in their place came a new kind of lyric on various subjects; for instance, Sumer is
icumen, The Cuckoo’s Song, Alysoun etc. Among the ballads mention may be made
of Geste of Robinhood.
B. Poetry and ANGLO-SAXONS
C. ANECDOTES- a short amusing or interesting story about a real incident or person.
3. Describe Geoffrey’s History - Chaucer,chose to write his poetry in English instead
of either French or Latin. Writing in Middle English, the vernacular as it was spoken
in the 14th century, indicated a major shift in British Literature. Chaucer was a
master of the language. He managed to create realistic characters and replicate a
natural conversational tone within the constraints of formal poetry. While his
poetry often addresses serious topics of philosophy and religion, he does so with
humor.
What was its most valuable element from the view point of literature? -
Chaucer introduced two poetic conventions, iambic pentameter and the rhyme
royal, to English poetry.

4. What is Layamon’s Brut? Why did Layamon choose

this name for his Chronicle? What special literary interest
attaches to the poem?- Layamon's Brut, also known as The Chronicle of Britain, is a
Middle English poem compiled and recast by the English priest Layamon.
- . He names them, in fact, after himself, for his name is Brutus—the “Brut” of the
title. Landing in Britain, Brutus and his people find the island populated by giants,
whom they defeat and slay.

5. What were the Metrical Romances? - A metrical romance is otherwise known as

romantic poetry. The poem tells a story in verse form and depicts the adventures of
romantic poetry.
6. Tell the story of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.
The narration begins when a knight enters the hall of King Arthur. He is the
Green Knight. He suggests a game. Any of the knights who had enough bravery to
strike the Green Knight’s head right off would get to keep his axe, but the challenger
would have to accept a similar strike within a year. Gawain accepts this challenge
and chops off the head of the green knight. The green night collects his chopped off
head and takes his leave, after informing Gawain to search for a Green chapel.
As the year came close to the end, Gawain sets out heading for the chapel, and he
comes across a castle placed in the desert. The lord there asks him to stay at least
past New Years. The lord proposes. That Gawain should stay at his castle while the
lord went hunting and the two would get to exchange their gains at the day’s end.

The exchange occurs over three days. While the lord is hunting each day, the
lady of the castle makes attempts to seduce Gawain. Gawain rejects the advances,
but he kisses her. She eventually gives him a magic belt meant to protect the wearer.
Gawain repays this with kisses but keeps the belt a secret.

Gawain gets to the Green Chapel. The knight makes two attempts to chop off
his head, but Gawain flinches twice. On the third swing, the Green Knight makes a
small cut on Gawain’s neck. He then reveals that he was the host at the castle and
his appearance was changed by Morgan le Fay. The Green night tells him that the
first two swings represented the first two days of the agreement they had where
Gawain gave him the kisses he received from the lady. The cut, however, was
because he accepted the belt and hid it. Gawain is filled with shame and puts on the
belt as a reminder of his transgressions. He goes back to Camelot and tells the tale.
The court bursts in laughter but honors him by wearing similar girdles. This becomes
a tradition.

7. What is a ballad, and what distinguishes it from other forms of poetry?

- A ballad is a form of narrative verse that is considered either poetic or
musical. Ballad has its own character that defines itself from other form of lyrical
poems . If we go through the different features of ballad poem we can realize its
distinction . The main features of ballad poem are -

1. Generally ballad is a sort narrative poem which deals with a single story, so it quite
opposite of Epical poem. In a ballad poem we hardly find long narrative description
of a single topic.

2, A ballad generally begins with an abrupt address to some lister without giving any
background information that is stated by the poem. So reader can be surprise in its
initial state and he can mixed up with the main theme an its description. If sometime
any background information is offered, it is in the form of nostalgic look back.

3, A ballad having its origin in oral tradition uses simple diction and phraseology to
be memorized easily.
4, In a ballad poem, it also uses dialogue to infuse dramatic tension in through the
poem. Some times the poet describes the reaction of lister and at other time lets him
vent his feelings.

5, in this type of ballad poem sometime the poet introduces some super natural
element in the form of evil influence.

6, In a ballad poem always uses ballad stanza which is a stanza of four sort line with
the certain rhyme – a b c b .

7 A ballad often uses a certain repetition of some phrase or line at the end of
different stanza, as such changes were made to the content of such traditional lyric.

CHAPTER 3 - THE AGE OF CHAUCER

1. . What are the chief historical events of the fourteenth century?

The Hundred Year’s War is a prominent event of Chaucer’s age. In the course
of the period from 1337 to 1453, England and France were at loggerheads with each
other in connection with the issue of succession to the throne of the France. Both
the countries witnessed defeats and victories all the way through time. Though
England was comparatively dominant over the French, yet they could not win the
war in the long run. Approximately 3 .5 million people died during the Hundred
Year’s War.This long-lasting war exerted many impacts on England. For the first time,
the English people got united during the Hundred Year’s War and they felt a sort of
nationalism. This war not only brought an end to social blockers between the
wealthy and poor people but additionally united them against any foreign
aggression. It was a great change in the mental makeup of the English people.
The Peasant’s Revolt is yet another important event of the age of Chaucer. It
was a direct result of the The Black Death. The Black Death brought about acute
shortage of workers in England. There was no one to work for the rich and elite class.
The working strata of society rose in rebellion and demanded high wages for their
work. They staged a number of demonstrations under the aegis of John Ball, but in
vain. Neither the government, nor the employers gave consent to their demands.
Thus, their struggle for the rights of employees and labourers ended up in vain. It
was a good example of modernism in the age of Chaucer like the one we have in this
industrial age.