AngloSaxon Prose

Prose is a later development in civilization than poetry. hence in the Anglo-Saxon period, prose had not been cultivated as a literary form until the introduction of Latin which gave position writers sources and models for their composition. antediluvial side prose dates from the late ninth, tenth and eleventh centuries; and its writers are commonly k instantern. It is useful here to note the landmarks in the history of sr. face prose. In the seventh and eighth centuries the prose writers of England composed in Latin only, so far as we know, and it was left for Alfred to compound and finally himself to undertake composition in English when, in the last two decades of the ninth century, he tried to bod up anew that flourishing civilization which the Norse raiders had most destroyed. His wars with the Danes and political affairs took up most of his time, but in his spare time he was unwearied in his literary labours, in which he was helped by a band of scholars he had taken care to collect around him, especially Asser, who impoverished him Latin and wrote his biography in that talking to. Filled with impulse to discipline his people, the king wrote and translated hour by hour into the English language the books he thought useful for that purpose. They are the origins of English prose.

Alfreds premiere book was a handbook, now lost, of extracts from ledger and the early Christian fathers translated into the West Saxon language. The Handbook begun in November 887, was fully set forth in English in 888 for the use of the people. The next piece of writing he did was the Law- book. It was compiled emerge of the existin! g codes of Kent, Wessex and Mercia. The translation of Gregorys Cura Pastoralis may be considered the first of Alfreds literary works, properly so called. It is a conformation of manual of the duties of the clergy; and the king took care that a reproduction of it should be sent to every bishops seat in my ground. Compared with later translations, this book is very close to the...If you ask to specify a full essay, order it on our website: BestEssayCheap.com

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