Rosen Educational Publishing English Literature from the Old English Period Through the Renaissance

Rosen Educational Publishing, 2010. — 265 p.Perhaps the Ixrst way to start appreciating early English literature is to not think of it as literature at all. The earliest stories in the English language were not written for academic study hut as an extension of the oral tradition ot relating grand and fanciful tales for entertainment. These stories, then, were the blockbuster summer movies of their day — tales of adventure and romance, with brave knights, beautiful women, horrible monsters, and mysterious spirits.
Over the centuries these stories became a part of English literature, and along the way, the gripping manner in which they were told matle the leap from word of mouth to the page. This book will show how that transition was made as it takes you on a journey through time and literary
development.
lb stutly English literature from the Old English period to the Renaissance is to witness the movement from one-dimensional action stories and religious lessons to stories with more subtleties of plot and character development and the development of language usage from simple conventions to new uses of sound and meaning. In short, this period began the rich tradition of English literature that continues to grow today.