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NASARAWA STATE UNIVERSITY KEFFI

FACULTY OF ARTS AND HUMANITIES

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE

ENG 214

SURVEY OF ENGLISH LITERATURE FROM ANGLO-SAXON TO RENAISSANCE

PRESENTATION BY GROUP G

THE BULK OF ALL ENGLISH POETRY IS HEROIC IN TIME AND ATMOSPHERE. EXAMINE THIS STATMENT
WITH CLEAR REFERENCE.

COURSE LECTURER

MALLAM IDRIS LADAN

DATE 15TH OF JUNE, 2023


S/N NAMES. MATRIC NUMBER

1. Sanu Hussaina Rahamat. 02200090138

2. Abdulmutalib Enesi. 02200090139

3. Ray Sunday Arikmun. 02200090142

4. Njoku Nkirukamma. 02200090143

5. Robert Blessing. 02200090144

6. John Rhitso Ruth. 02200090145

7. Auta Peace Penninah. 02200090147

8. Mohammed Hassan Kolo. 02200090148

9. Philip Nissi Haruna 02200090149

10. Jubril Sumayat. 02200090150

11. Hassan Al-Ameen Muhammed. 02200090152

12. Umenyiora Nonyelum Ekwutosi. 02200090153

13. Orji Joy Enekole. 02200090158

14. Saleh Mary. 02200090159


CONTENTS

- Introduction

I. Definition of poetry

II. Definition of English poetry

-Evolution of English poetry

I. History of English poetry

II. Statges and eras of English poetry( from Anglo-Saxon era down to this modern day.)

- Heroic Poetry as a form of poetry

I. Definition of Heroic Poetry

II. Examples of Heroic Poetry

- Conclusion
INTRODUCTION

What is Poetry?

The word "poetry " comes from a Greek verb which means "to make". At various points in literature
history poetry has been defined as " jogging veins of rhyming mother wits" ( Christopher Marlowe); "the
spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings"(William Shakespeare); the opening and closing of a door,
leaving those who look through to guess about that which is seen during a moment"( Carl Sandburg);
and " a momentary stay against confusion"( Robert frost). The study of poetry produces a natural
curiosity about the political, social, moral and literary trends of a particular time, period and is an
essential element of a well-rounded liberal arts curriculum.

With a contemporary lence, Poetry can be seen as a verbal or written artform that uses a heightened
sense of language to convey experience, feelings or modes of consciousness ( Bennett 2011). There is no
concrete definition for poetry, It means many different things to different people.

Poetry is believed to have originated as one of the world's oldest form of maintaining, keeping and
remembering history. Ancient storytellers used Mnemonic devices to orally pass down the major events
of their tribes. Mnemonic devices are verbal or mental tricks that help learners remember large amount
of information. In ancient poetry, these devices took the form of word rhythms, rhymes and imagery. As
the written word developed, these historical sages evoled into the other forms of poetry we know
today.

ENGLISH POETRY

Definition

The English poetry is an ambiguous one, it can mean poetry written by the English people or poetry
written in English language. Nevertheless, this work iseant to accquint you with the poetry written by
the English poets and others from Scotland, Wales and Ireland from the earliest days of Anglo-Saxons to
the modern period of English.

English poetry refers to the body of poetic works written in the English language. It encompasses a rich
tradition of verse sparring several centuries and encompasses various styles, forms and themes. English
poetry explores the power of language, emotions and imagery to convey a wide range of human
experiences, from love and beauty to nature and societal issues. It has produced renowned poets such
as William Shakespeare, William Wordsworth and Emily Dickinson, and Continues to be a vibrant and
influencial literary form.

Poetry itself probably dates back to cavemen and the earliest Shaman's, who chronicled events in
pictures-stories, symbols, songs, and tales, to Chronicle hunts and features of the land on which these
people survived. Poetry also took Nomads into altered supernatural realms. Over the course of the
years, literature has American evolution. These changing time periods can be classified in 9 eras :
colonial revolutionary romantic transcendental realism, modern Halem, renaissance, Beat Generation
and post modern. Some of the oldest poems ever written are the epic poems of ancient Greek author
Homer, called the "Thad" and the "Odessy". These were written around 700bc.

English poetry can be seen as the writing which are elaboratively rhymed, and which explore personal
emotions, feelings and ideas in a rhythmical stanzain forms or it can be seen as writing in free or stanzaic
verse form in which imaginative ideas or experience are flashed out through vivid metaphorical
language.

English poetry is naturally heroic in nature especially when traced back to the Anglo-Saxon and
renaissance period, where violence and prove of bravery is the order of the day. Poems were composed
in honour of the heroic warriors, these epic poems were in oral art form memorized and performed not
written down. With time and the coming of civilization, it was documented and can be read from
generation to generation. Before analyzing the nature of heroic English poetry, it is important to know
the history of English poetry.

EVOLUTION OF ENGLISH POETRY

Like all other literature of the world, English literature began with poetry. It started back in the fifth
century, it is believed that the earliest poems in English where written between 450A. D and 1066A. D in
the time known as Anglo-Saxon period. In those days there was no printing press and system of keeping
records. As a result, it's impossible now to trace out who the first poet was. The earliest English poems
so far found are anonymous, among those poems is the known "Beowulf', which is considered as the
first epic in English. Some of the other anonymous poems of the period are "Widsith", "Deor's Lament",
"The Seafarer's, "The Husband's Message", and "The Wanderer". The common subjects of these poems
are either religious faith or heroic deeds. Some of the poems are written on pagan myths and the rest
are on the subjects taken from the Bible. The heroic stories are mostly based on the Germanic folklore.
These poems are written in alliterative old English which is not used in our time. The line of these poems
are generally long and unrhymed. The history of English poetry stretches from the middle of 7th century
to the present day. Over this period English poets have written some of the most enduring poems in
European culture, and the language and it's poetry have spread around the globe. After the Norman
conquest in 1066, English poetry took a significant turn. Between 1066 and 1500, the period which is
know as Middle Ages, English language developed to a certain standard . However, the language used in
this period is not the English or our time. The poets of this period still used alliterative lines. The subject
chosen for poetry were liberal, religious faith , morality, chivalry and love in this period .
Renaissance took place and broadened the general outlook, it was the result of various series of events
that followed and accompanied one another from fourteenth century to the beginning of the sixteenth
century with the fall of the then Constantinople in 1453, the scholars living there fled to different parts
of Europe. They took with them the ancient Greek and Roman literature. Those scholars had profound
influence on the poets of this period. They came out of the religious bias and emphasized idealism from
a more secular point of view. Geoffrey Chaucer (1340-1400), known as the father of English poetry, was
the famous poet of this age. He looked for idealism in religious faith, love and society. He envisioned a
perfect human existence, free from all type of corruption, falsehood and hypocrisy. His Canterbury tales
presents a severe criticism of the late medieval England, keeping in vision and ideal society. His Troilus
and Criseyde deals with faithlessness in love, suggesting idealism in man- woman relationship. His
language is lucid and rhythmic. He excels in the use of metres and rhyme. The other important peots of
the age is William langland and John Gower, their poems also broadly follow tradition of the age. The
renaissance kindled a kind of wild fire of knowledge that kept on burning for several centuries, it had it's
fullest flowering in the sixteenth century from 1558 to 1603, England was ruled by Queen Elizabeth I.
This period is known as the Elizabethan period after her name. This is known as the golden age of
prosperity in commerce, arts and nationalism of the English. Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe and
Ben Johnson are the greatest dramatist of this period . Plays were written in verse forms. The age is also
famous for its poetry, Edmund Spencer , the poet of poets wrote this in this period. This age was deeply
influenced by the renaissance that liberalized understanding, created interest and enlightenment made
people humanistic and liberal. Consequently , the literature of this period is characterized by a tendency
of breaking away from the Greek and Roman literary tradition. For this reason, this period is also
considered as the birth time of English Romanticism. Elizabethan period is marked by the profoundity of
thoughts, idealism in philosophical choice, lucidity in language and excellence in poetry.

A marked reaction against the peculiar poetry of the Metaphysical school began in the age that followed
it. This age was dominated by John Milton. For this reason, it is called the ages of Milton. It is also called
the puritan age, in this period efforts were made to regain the grandeur of English verse. A small group
of period. However, the age is famous for the epics written by John Milton, who wrote "Paradise Lost"
and "Paradise Regained". He dealt with grand subjects in grand language using Heroic verse form and
maintaining classical restraint.

English poetry encompasses a vast range of periods, styles, and themes making it challenging to
generate the entire body work. However, it is true the heroic elements have played a significant role in
English poetry throughout history.

HEROIC POETRY AS A TYPE OR FORM OF POETRY

What is Heroic Poetry

This can be seen as a long Narrative verse that is elevated in mood and uses a dignified dramatic and
formal style to describe the deeds of aristocratic warriors and Rulers. It is usually composed without the
use of writing and is chanted or recited with the accompaniment of a stringed instrument.
It is also seen as a form of literature, that celebrates the heroic deeds and adventures of a legendary or
mythological figure. It oftens portrays epic battles, quests, and challenges, showcasing the courage ,
strength and honour of the heroes, through vivid imagery, rhythmic language and grand storytelling.
Heroic Poetry captures the essence of heroism and inspires audience with tales of extraordinary deeds
and noble characters.

EXAMPLES OF ENGLISH HEROIC POETRY

English poetry as being heroic cannot stand without mentioning the Anglo-Saxon or old period as it is
primarily the time that depicted herioc epics.

The literature of the Anglo-Saxon is abundant in heroic or epic poetry. Narrative poems which recounts
the deeds of heroic figures, who overcome significant challenges in the pursuit of goals that were
deemed virtuous by the standard of the day. Beowulf, the longest surviving of the English poem is a
good example of heroic poetry. The poem shows bravery and courage. Beowulf is and Anglo-Saxon war
poem which ends tragically. The poems simplicity and directness points to the fact that the Anglo-Saxon
poet has created a heroic poem put of brute fact. He has been able to forego the great resources of the
epic poets. The romantic glamour of antiquity and strange beings.

Another example of heroic poem is the "Battle of Maldon"(991), This is devoted to a single event
describing a viking raid on Essex, dealing with a duel between father and son.

These examples represent just a fraction of the rich and diverse tradition of English poetry. Each poem
offers a unique perspective and contributes to the evolution of the art form, showcasing the breadth of
themes, styles and poetic devices employed by English poets throughout history.

CONCLUSION

In terms of "time" in the statement, heroic poetry often reflects a specific historical era or cultural
context. For instance, Beowulf reflects the time period and values of the Anglo-Saxon society. It portrays
the heroism and bravery of it's characters within the context of the medieval warrior culture.

In heroic poetry, the concept of "atmosphere" refers to the cultural or feeling that the poem creates for
the reader. This atmosphere is often grand and elevated, designed to create a sense of awe, admiration
and inspiration.

One way in which heroic poetry achieves this is through the use of elaborate language. The language
employed in these poems is often rich and characterized by complex sentence structures, poetic devices
and figurative language such as metaphors,and similes. This linguistic styles add some grandeur and
nobility to the poem, elevating the subject matter and heroic figures it portrays.

In a nutshell the overall purpose of creating grand and elevated atmosphere in heroic poetry is to inspire
the reader and evoke admiration for the heroic figures and their actions. By immersing the reader in a
world of magnificence and valor, the poem aims to handle a sense of awe, reverence and even
aspiration towards heroic ideals.
In conclusion the mass or magnitude of English poetry indeed encompasses a wide range of time, style
and atmosphere as reflected above. English poetry is characterized by it's stylistic versatility and the
divers atmosphere it encompasses, from traditional forms to experimental approaches. English poets
have employed various techniques and themes to express their idea and emotions. The richness and
depths of English poetry is it ability to capture and explore a wild range of style and atmosphere, making
it a vibrant and ever evolving literary tradition . Indeed we can boldly say the bulk of English poetry is
Heroic in time, style and atmosphere.

REFERENCES
- Elist, T. S The waste Land (1922) in the Norton anthology of poetry. Ed Alexander w Alison et W. 4th
ed. Nee York and London Norton Anthology 1966, pp.1344-56.

- Faulkner, P (Ed). (1986) A modernist reading, Modernism in England 1920-1930 London: Batsford.

- Constantine, S(1980) unemployment in Batson between wars. Harlow Longman.

- Alexander, M. (2003). Beowulf: A verse Translation Penguin classics. London : New York.

- Swaton, M. Ed(1997). Beowulf Manchester: Manchester university press.

- Cooper J (1993) The Battle of Maldon- Fiction and Fact. London: The Hambledon press.

- Abrls R. (1991) English Tactics, Strategy and Military organization in the late Tenth (entory. In scragg D.
Ed), The Battle ofaldon AD 991. Oxford: Basil Blackwell.

-Scatter good, J (1984). Literature and Learning Medieval and Renaissance England. Dublin: Irish
Academic press.

- Anderson S. M. A. Sullivan, and T.Murphy.(2004). Beowulf. New York : Longman.

- Elliott, R (1991). And they shew the Earldotman. The( anberra Times. Saturday, August, 10.

- Walter, G. (1986) English Poetry of the Sixteenth century: London: Longman.

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