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Albert C. Baugh, A Literary History of England (NY: Appleton 1967)
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| Book One: Old English Literature |
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| “Folk, State and Speech” (Bk. 1, Chapter I) |
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A thorough account of the formation of the Old English nation offers a good starting point. |
| "Anglo-Latin Writings" (Bk. 1, Chap. II) |
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Most of the texts produced in English during the Saxon period were Latin ... |
| “The Old Tradition: Poetic Form” (Bk. 1, Chap. III) |
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Here are the basics of Anglo-Saxon metre, stress and ornament - alliteration and kennings. |
| “The Old Tradition: Popular Poetry” (Bk. 1, Chap. IV) |
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Alphabet poems, riddles, love-poems, medical prescriptions and comical poems ... |
| “The Old Tradition: Courtly Poetry” (Bk. 1, Chap. V) |
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Baugh gives a full account of the heroic poetry and tradition of the Germanic peoples. |
| “Religious Poetry: Cædmon, &c.” (Bk. 1, Chap. VI) |
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The religious tradition Old English writing occupies a large part of the total literature. |
| “Religious Poetry: Cynewulf, &c.” (Bk. 1, Chap. VII) |
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Baugh distinguishes two traditions of Old English religious poetry - learned and popular. |
| “Secular Poetry: Beowulf, &c.” (Bk. 1, Chap IX) |
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Beowulf is a secular poem about the ‘heroics’ of the Germanic warrior tribed of yore. |
| “Literary Prose” (Bk. 1, Chap. X) |
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The development of English prose was larger a matter of sermons and chronicles. |
| Book Two: Medieval English Literature |
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| “The Romance: Matter of England” (Bk 2, Chap. 9) |
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The Legend of King Arthur began in Britain and found its first historians in Old English and Latin |
| “The Romance: Matter of France” (Bk 2, Chap. 10) |
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It was French writers who revived the Legend of Arthur and gave it the colours of ‘romance’ |
| “Chaucer - I: Life and Works” (Bk 2, Chap. 16) |
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Chaucer was a public servant and well-travelled diplomat who knew French and Italian models ... |
| “Chaucer - II: The Canterbury Tales” (Bk 2, Chap. 17) |
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Chaucer’s masterpiece was something new in literature - a story cycle with an all-too-human cast. |
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Note: Shorter passages from several of the above chapters have been copied and circulated in class are are available at links under different authors as listed in the General
Index - above. The full-text versions given here are offered for any student seeking further insight into the subjects covered.
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Richard Bradford’s Introduction to Literary Studies (1996)
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| Philip Tilling, “Literature of Pre-Renaissance England” |
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Tilling’s survey gives a good account of English Literature from Beowulf to Chaucer. |
| E. Ní Chuilleanáin, “Renaissance Poetry [17th c.]” |
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Ní Chuilleanáin’s survey poets and movements offers detailed discussions of key poems. |
| John McVeagh, “17th c. Poetry & Drama (1660-1780)” |
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McVeagh’s survey of the period illustrates the constant link between politics and literature. |