Introduction The prosaic Old English Apollonius of Tyre occurs in the manuscript Cambridge Corpus Christi College 201(CCCC201). This single manuscript is predominantly comprised of religious, secular, poetic material, and the inclusion of Apollonius in this context has occasioned a considerable degree of confusion in relation to its genre classification, and the rationale behind...
Old English
Literature Review: The Early Stages of my Research.
I will be pursuing a thesis focused on Grendel’s mother from the Old English poem Beowulf, Guinevere’s mother from the Arthurian romance The Awntyrs off Arthur and the Pearl maiden from the allegorical Middle English poem Pearl. I will be consulting the following editions of the primary texts: The...
The Trials and Tribulations in Producing an Edition
Assessment is an inescapable aspect of all MA courses and usually involves the submission of an essay for your selected modules. Suffice it to say that as an English Literature student at MA level I’m well acquainted with essays. So I wasn’t surprised when I was immediately attracted to...
Reconciling the Old English “Apollonius of Tyre” with its Manuscript Context: The Miscellany CCCC201.
Introduction The prosaic Old English Apollonius of Tyre occurs in the manuscript Cambridge Corpus Christi College 201(CCCC201). This single manuscript is predominantly comprised of religious, secular, poetic material, and the inclusion of Apollonius in this context has occasioned a considerable degree of confusion in relation to its genre...
Liminality: The bond that ties the hero with the monster
The term “liminal” is derived from the Latin word “limen” meaning doorway or threshold. Originally used as an anthropological term by Victor Turner the term refers to that which is transitional or in between states (Ashley). Its later application to literature and to art is intrinsically linked to its...
The Battle of Maldon: The Crisis within the Comitatus
Defining Heroic Literature The Battle of Maldon* is regarded as one of the best extant examples of Anglo Saxon heroic poetry. In order to fully comprehend Maldon‘s prominent place within the Anglo Saxon heroic canon, a comprehensive definition of heroic literature is necessary. Roberta Frank supplied such a definition...
Caedmon’s Hymn
Introduction The beginning of this MA coincided with exploring the importance of Caedmon’s Hymn in relation to the miraculous origin of Old English literature. According to Bede, Caedmon was an illiterate cowherd who had a divine vision one night and awoke the next day with the ability to compose...
