Cædmon was a cowherd, who turned poet and saintly monk in 7th century Northumbria. Although only one hymn in Old English is preserved, it is venerated for its beauty. Find the literature here
Category: Medieval Literature
Was Bede inspired by stories about Muhammad?
New essay by Robert North revisits the hypothesis that Bede in AD 610 modelled his story of Cædmon on that of Muhammad
How to Translate Cædmon’s Poem
Cædmon was a herdsman with a poetic gift whom Bede (672–735) may have encountered at Whitby Abbey.
About Cædmon
We know of Cædmon from Bede's Ecclesiastical History of England from c. 731, written at the monastery of Wearmouth-Jarrow in Northumbria. Arguably, Cædmon composed the first poem in Old English.
Cædmon’s Hymn in new version
New copy of earliest poem in the English language discovered in Rome
Praise Poem to Aonghas of Islay – Angus Mór of Islay
When Angus’s father died c. 1250, an Irish bard composed a praise poem petitioning the son to pay his father’s debt. The poem offers a vivid account of the cultural inventory of one of the Sea Kings.
Millstatt Abbey and its Library
Millstatt was founded c 800 by the Duke of Carinthia, who built the first church after he allegedly destroyed one thousand pagan statues by throwing them into the lake. A later Abbey housed a significant collection of texts in high medieval German literature
The Medieval Landscape as a Pastoral Christian Cosmos
The essence of the medieval Christian landscape was encapsulated in the idea of the beloved place of pleasure, Paradise
The Frightening Landscape in Northern Europe in the Early Middle Ages
During the first millennium, northern and eastern Europe was sparsely populated and devoid of anything but wilderness. How did it feel to live in this medieval world?
Who wrote Sir Gawain and the Green Knight?
The famous chivalric romance of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight continue to capture our imagination with its stories of a hero on a famous quest. New book claims to identify the author.
The Diversity of Historical Writing in the Long Twelfth Century
Medieval Chronicles in the twelfth Century held texts representing a wide variety of literary forms. A new book explores the diversity of historical writing produced and copied during the long twelfth Century
Beowulf – an Old Scandinavian Heroic Poem
The heroic poem about Beowulf is often considered the most accomplished example of Old English poetic literature. Based on an oral transmission of a Scandinavian epic from the 6th century, it presents a convoluted history
Digital Anglo-Norman Dictionary Launched
Researchers at Aberystwyth University have launched a new digital platform providing detailed chronological information for all Anglo-Norman words for the first time ever online
Grettir and Glam
Grettir's Saga is perhaps of the lesser known. Nevertheless, the story of this bellicose adventurer is great fun to read aloud to children at Halloween. Not least, because Grettir was renowed as "better able than any other to deal with spectres and goblins" such as Glam.
The Percy Hours and Percy Psalter from the 13th Century
About 200 years ago, a London book-dealer split in two a liturgical handbook from the late 13thcentury. While the Percy Psalter ended up in the British Library, the Percy Hours remained in a private collection. Now reunited, the beautiful manuscript will be displayed later this year.
The Lombard Haggadah from the 14th Century
The Lombard Haggadah has been preserved in a private collection for more than hundred years. Recently put up for sale, there is this upcoming week a unique possibility for New Yorkers to enjoy the Gothic manuscript.