English Literature

More about the book

The book explores the origins of English literature, highlighting the limited factual knowledge available about early writers and their works. It emphasizes that much of the literary history from the seventh to the eleventh century relies on reconstructions from existing texts and sparse contemporary references, such as those by Bede. The focus is on Anglo-Saxon literature, primarily produced by clerks who played a crucial role in preserving this essential Christian literature, even if they were not its original creators.