Albert, Edward. 1990. A History of English Literature. Walton-on-Thames: Nelson. 5th edition (Revised by J. A. Stone).

CHAPTER II

THE MIDDLE ENGLISH PERIOD

GENERAL OUTLINE

I. THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

II. STATE OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

III. LITERARY FEATURES OF THE AGE

IV. POETRY

V. PROSE

VI. THE DEVELOPMENT OF LITERARY FORMS AND STYLE

CLOSER OUTLINE

I. THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

II. STATE OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

III. LITERARY FEATURES OF THE AGE

1. The Transition

2. The anonymous nature of the writing

3. The Domination of Poetry

IV. POETRY

1. Chronicles

2. Religious and Didactic Poetry

3. The Romances

V. PROSE

1. The Ancrene Riwle

2. The Ayenbite of Inwyt

VI. THE DEVELOPMENT OF LITERARY FORMS AND STYLE

1. Poetry

2. Prose

CHAPTER II

THE MIDDLE ENGLISH PERIOD (DETAILED OUTLINE)

I. THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

II. STATE OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

III. LITERARY FEATURES OF THE AGE

1. The Transition

2. The anonymous nature of the writing

3. The Domination of Poetry

IV. POETRY

1. Chronicles

(a) Layamon’s Brut

(b) Robert of Gloucester

(c) Robert Manning of Brunne:

Story of England

2. Religious and Didactic Poetry

(a) The Ormulum (c. 1200)

(b) The Owl and the Nightingale

(c) The Orison to Our Lady

(d) The Cursor Mundi

(e) Richard Role of Hampole

(f) The Alliterative Poems

3. The Romances

(a) The Matter of England

(b) The Matter of Britain

(c) The Matter of Roman the Great

(d) The Matter of France

(e) Miscellaneous romances

V. PROSE

1. The Ancrene Riwle

2. The Ayenbite of Inwyt

VI. THE DEVELOPMENT OF LITERARY FORMS AND STYLE

1. Poetry

(a) Metre

(b) The Lyric

(c) The Romances

(d) Clear development

(e) Humour and pathos

2. Prose

The ‘Continuity of English Prose’.

CHAPTER II

THE MIDDLE ENGLISH PERIOD

DETAILED OUTLINE AND MAIN WORKS CITED

I. THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

II. STATE OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

III. LITERARY FEATURES OF THE AGE

1. The Transition

2. The anonymous nature of the writing

3. The Domination of Poetry

The Katherine Group and the Ancrene Riwle (second half of XII, beginning of XIII?)

IV. POETRY

1. Chronicles

(a) Layamon’s Brut (XIII: about 1205)

(b) Robert of Gloucester (XIII: fl. 1260-1300) and his rhyming chronicles

(c) Robert Manning of Brunne:

— Story of England (XIV: Friday, May 25, 1338)

— Handlyng Synne (XIV: commenced 1303)

2. Religious and Didactic Poetry

(a) The Ormulum (c. 1200)

(b) The Owl and the Nightingale (probably early XIII century)

(c) — The Moral Ode (also called Poema Morale), the Proverbs of Alfred (might be of 1150).

— the Proverbs of Hendyng, The Orison to Our Lady, Genesis, Exodus, and the Bestiary (first half of XIII).

(d) The Cursor Mundi (first quarter of XIV)

(e) Richard Role of Hampole: (1300-1349?)

— The Prick of Conscience (c. 1350)

(f) The Alliterative Poems (2nd half of XIV):

— Pearl — Patience

— Purity — Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

3. The Romances (1250 onwards):

(a) The Matter of England:

— King Horn — Bevis of Hampton

— Havelock the Dane — Richard Coeur de Lion

— Guy of Warkwick

(b) The Matter of Britain:

— Sir Tristrem — Ywain and Gawain

— Morte d’Arthure — Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

—Arthur and Merlin

(c) The Matter of Roman the Great:

— King Alisaunder — The Destruction of Troy

(d) The Matter of France:

— Rauf, the Coilyear — Sir Ferumbras

(e) Miscellaneous romances:

— Amis and Amyloun — Fleuris and Blauchefeur

— William of Palerne

V. PROSE

1. The Ancrene Riwle (second half of XII, beginning of XIII?)

2. The Ayenbite of Inwyt by Dan Michel of Northgate, Canterbury (1340)

VI. THE DEVELOPMENT OF LITERARY FORMS AND STYLE

1. Poetry

(a) Metre:

— “The song of king Canute about the monks of Ely” (quotation)

— Godric’s fragments (quotation)

— Layamon’s Brut (alluded)

— King Horn

— Havelock the Dane

Introduction of stanzaic forms:

— Amis and Amiloun and The King of Tars

— Sir Tristrem

— Sir Percyvelle of Galles

— The Awntyers of Arthure

— The Turke and Gowen

— Sir Gawain and the Green Knigt

(b) The Lyric:

— The Cuckoo Song

(c) The Romances

2. Prose:

— Ancrene Riwle (2nd half of XII, beginning of XIII?)

— the Katherine Group (second half of XII, beginning of XIII?)