    Program Resources Online Student Edition Glencoe Online Essay Grader Progress Reporter Online Assessment Interactive Timeline Media Center Presentation Tips and Strategies Unit Resources About the Big Ideas (English) About the Big Ideas (Spanish) Being There Online Big Idea Web Quest Combined Academic and Selection Vocabulary eFlashcards Unit Skills Assessment Test-Taking Tips and Strategies Author Search Interactive Literary Elements Handbook Literature Classics Literature Library Study Guides Online Student Resources Interactive Writing Models Writing and Research Handbook Part Resources Interactive Reading Practice Literary History Selection Resources Reading-Writing Connection Activities Selection Quizzes (English) Selection Quizzes (Spanish) |  |  LiteratureLiterary HistoryThe Development of English The English language we know today has its roots in a language known as Englisc, which was spoken by a group of Anglo-Saxons off the European coast. English passed through two major stages, Old English and Middle English, before becoming Modern English. Old English was developed from 450 to 1150. It was based on Germanic dialects and would seem like a foreign language to present-day English speakers. However, a study in 1986 showed that the hundred most commonly words used in the English language today are of Anglo-Saxon origin. The English language initially comprised ancient Germanic characters, which were replaced by the Old English alphabet of twenty-four letters. The epic poem Beowulf was written during this time and used the Old English alphabet. Middle English developed from 1150 to 1500 and was highly influenced by the French and Latin languages. There were so many influences on the English language during this period that many people on one side of England could not understand the language of the people from the other side. Well-educated people of this time were required to learn three languages, all for different purposes: French for dealing with the nobility or the courts; Latin for the church, business, and scholarship; and English for communicating with the majority of everyday people. The Middle English language evolved when many Old English words were dropped and French words were introduced into its vocabulary. Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales was written during this time. Unlike Beowulf, it is more comprehensible to English speakers today. Bibliography Beowulf. New York: Signet Book, 1999. The earliest poem in a modern European language. This is Burton Raffel’s modern translation from the original Old English version. Beowulf: Old English Edition. New York: Penguin Classics, 1995. This is the story of Beowulf, a hero who goes to Denmark and slays the monster Grendel and Grendel’s mother. Each page of this Old English verse is faced by Modern English translations, annotations, and notes. The Canterbury Tales. New York: Penguin Classics, 2003. A Modern English translation of Geoffrey Chaucer’s depiction of English life in the fourteenth century. Anglo-Saxon Poetry. North Clarendon, VT: Tuttle Publishing, 1991. An anthology of poetry from the early Middle Ages that combines Germanic poetry style with English lore. Web linksAnthology of Middle English Literature (1350–1485) Middle English Compendium The Canterbury Tales: Prologue As with many forms of culture, the roots of public entertainment in Anglo-Saxon Britain were in religion. The earliest British plays were based on the events that took place throughout the life of Christ. In the early 900s, clergy presented plays during Easter, with priests acting out the parts of biblical characters and saints. These one-act dramas, which were designed to teach biblical stories, were eventually produced by professionals and became known as mystery plays, from the word mystery, meaning “trade” or “craft.” A related form of drama was the miracle play, which told the story of a saint. Mystery plays grew more and more popular due to an increasingly literate population in England. Sets, props, and costumes became more elaborate, and soon churches were not able to accommodate these large productions. Professional, or guild, members took over these productions and loaded them onto wagons so that they could perform them wherever they wanted, such as at fairs, at marketplaces, and in castles. Although medieval plays were based on religious subjects, they incorporated music, dancing, and even comedy. Their outdoor performances became loud, enthusiastic affairs. By the 1300s, these short plays evolved into day-long cycles, some of them even lasting for several days. Over time the stories developed from secular, not just religious, themes. By the 1400s, the morality play became popular. A morality play dramatized the moral struggles that people faced every day. Characters had names such as “Patience” and “Greed.” These plays were staged to teach people about the struggle between good and evil. Eventually, morality plays borrowed from secular, in addition to religious, topics. This tradition influenced the works of such future famous playwrights as William Shakespeare and George Bernard Shaw. Bibliography Everyman and Medieval Miracle Plays. London: J. M. Dent & Sons, 1993. This volume contains a selection of biblical pageants, including the morality play Everyman. Wakefield Mystery Plays. New York: W. W. Norton, 1961. This cycle of thirty-two plays was given by the town of Wakefield and dealt with the stories and teachings of the New Testament. York Mystery Plays: A Selection in Modern Spelling. New York: Oxford University Press, 1984. The York cycle plays depict the Creation; the Fall of Man; the Incarnation, Passion, and Resurrection of Christ; and the Last Judgment. A History of Christianity. Touchstone, 2005. First published in 1976, this is scholar Paul Johnson’s panoramic view of the history of Christianity, starting in the year 49. Web linksThe Oberammergau Passion Play The eText of Everyman The Life of John Skelton Catholic History Medieval History Log InThe resource you requested requires you to enter a username and password below: |
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