A Literary History of England

Preface to the First EditionNote to Second Edition PART I. THE OLD ENGLISH PERIOD (TO 1100) I. Folk, State, and Speech II. Anglo-Latin Writings III. The Old Tradition: Poetic Form IV. The Old Tradition: Popular Poetry V. The Old Tradition: Courtly Poetry VI. Religious Poetry: Caedmon and His School VII. Religious Poetry: Cynewulf and His School VIII. Religious Poetry: Poems on Various Themes IX. Secular Poetry X. Literary Prose PART II. THE MIDDLE ENGLISH PERIOD (1100-1500) I. General Characteristics of the Period II. The Survival of the Native Tradition (1100-1250) III. The Ancrene Riwle IV. Anglo-Norman Literature V. Early Latin Writers VI. Wit and Wisdom VII. For Their Soul's Need VIII. The Arthurian Legend to Layamon IX. The Romance: I X. The Romance: II XI. The Omnibus of Religion XII. The Lyric XIII. Richard Rolle and Other Mystics XIV. The Alliterative Revival XV. Piers Plowman and Other Alliterative Poems XVI. Chaucer: I XVII. Chaucer: II XVIII. Other Contemporaries of Chaucer XIX. The Beginnings of the Drama XX. Ebb Tide XXI. Looking Forward