Becoming a Poet in Anglo-Saxon England (Cambridge Studies in Medieval Literature, Series Number 88)

Synopsis

Combining Historical, Literary And Linguistic Evidence From Old English And Latin, Becoming A Poet In Anglo-saxon England Creates A New, More Complete Picture Of Who And What Pre-conquest English Poets Really Were. It Includes A Study Of Anglo-saxon Words For 'poet' And The First List Of Named Poets In Anglo-saxon England. Its Survey Of Known Poets Identifies Four Social Roles That Poets Often Held - Teachers, Scribes, Musicians And Courtiers - And Explores The Kinds Of Poetry Created By These Individuals. The Book Also Offers A New Model For Understanding The Role Of Social Groups In Poets' Experience: It Argues That The Presence Or Absence Of A Poetic Community Affected The Work Of Anglo-saxon Poets At All Levels, From Minute Technical Detail To The Portrayal Of Character. This Focus On Poetic Communities Provides A New Way To Understand The Intersection Of History And Literature In The Middle Ages.