British-Literature-Course-3b.ppt

British Literature CourseSeminar 3
Taught by Dr. Robin Gilbank
Today we are going to look at more invasions to England – this time the Norman Conquest.
We will look at how the Normans came to conquer England and the political system that they set up.
We will think about the effects of the Norman Conquest upon literature in England.
Later on we will concentrate upon looking at the “romance”, one of the important genres of medieval literature.
There will be a student presentation on romance and we will study Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.
1066
Why was the year so important?
Most of the following is recorded in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, the great history book begun on the orders of King Alfred the Great.
Edward the Confessor, the Anglo-Saxon king, died childless in January 1066
Was he in fact a virgin?
Who was his rightful essor?
1. Harold Godwinson, the brother of Edward’s wife. Said the king had laid hands on him on his deathbed.
2. Harald Hardrada, King of Norway (Viking).
3. William, Duke of Normandy. Said the king had promised the crown to him.
Harold Godwinson, the only one of the three to live in England, won out. He would not hold the throne without a fight.
A painting from the 1800s imagining the Battle of Stamford Bridge, fought 25th September 1066
Consequence
Harald Hadrada was the last great Viking king. No more would England be threatened by invaders from northern Europe.