Like the earlier Latin works, it is now regarded as valueless as history. It gives the history of the Britons, largely ignoring the Anglo-Saxons. Its narrative ends with the Welsh king Cadwallon ap Cadfan, who died in 634.
The versification of the Brut has proven extremely difficult to characterise. Written in a loose alliterative style, sporadically deploying rhyme as well as a caesural pause between the hemistichs of a line, it is perhaps closer to the rhythmical prose of Ælfric of Eynsham than to verse, especially in comparison with later alliterative writings such as Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and Piers Plowman. Layamon's alliterating verse is difficult to analyse, seemingly avoiding the more formalised styles of the later poets.
Layamon's Middle English is notably "native" in its vocabulary, i.e. devoid of words borrowed from Norman French; the scholar B.S. Monroe counted a mere 150 words derived from French in the poem's 16,000 lines.[1] It is remarkable for its abundant Anglo-Saxon vocabulary; deliberately archaic Saxon forms that were quaint even by Anglo-Saxon standards. Imitations in the Brut of certain stylistic and prosodic features of Old English alliterative verse show a knowledge and interest in preserving its conventions.[2]
Layamon's Brut remains one of the best extant examples of early Middle English.[3] During an era in English history when most prose and poetry were composed in French, Layamon wrote for his illiterate, impoverished religious audience in Worcestershire.[4]
In 1216, around the time Layamon wrote, King Henry III of England came to the throne. Henry regarded himself as an Englishman above any other nationality, unlike many of his recent predecessors, and moved his kingdom away from the Old French dialects that had ruled the country's cultural endeavors.[2]
Several original passages in the poem — at least in accordance with the present knowledge of extant texts from the Middle Ages — suggest Layamon was interested in carving out the history of the Britons as the people 'who first possessed the land of the English'.[4]
Manuscripts, editions and translationsedit
Two copies of the manuscript are known; one in the MS. Cotton Caligula A ix, dating from the third quarter of the 13th century, and in the Cotton Otho C xiii, copied about fifty years later (though the extant, damaged, text is shorter). Both manuscripts are in the British Library.
The text is online from the University of Michigan.
Referencesedit
^Monroe, B. S. (January 1907). "French Words in Lazamon". Modern Philology. 4 (3): 559–567. doi:10.1086/386719. ISSN 0026-8232. S2CID 161738746.
^ abAckerman, Robert W. (1966) Backgrounds to Medieval English Literature. 1st. New York: Random House, Inc.
^ abEverett, Dorothy. (1978) "Layamon and the Earliest Middle English Alliterative Verse." Essays on Middle English Literature. Ed. Patricia Kean. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press,.
Bibliographyedit
Le Saux, Francoise H M, Layamon's Brut:The Poem and its Sources, 1989, Boydell and Brewer
Tiller, Kenneth, Layamon's Brut and the Anglo-Norman Vision of History, 2007, University of Wales Press, ISBN9780708319024
Editionsedit
Brook, G. L. and R. F. Leslie (ed.), Laȝamon: Brut, Edited from British Museum MS. Cotton Caligula A. ix and British Museum MS. Cotton Otho C. xiii, Early English Text Society, 250, 277, 2 vols (London: Oxford University Press, 1963–78), http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=cme;idno=LayCal. The standard edition.
W. R. J. Barron and S. C. Weinberg (ed. and trans.), Laȝamon's Arthur: The Arthurian Section of Laȝamon's ‘Brut’ (Lines 9229-14297) (Harlow: Longman, 1989). Facing text and translation, based on the Caligula MS.
Wace and Layamon, Arthurian chronicles, trans. by Eugene Mason (London: Dent, 1962)
Layamon (1847) [c. 1215]. Madden, Frederic (ed.). Layamons Brut, or Chronicle of Britain; A Poetical Semi-Saxon Paraphrase of The Brut of Wace. Vol. I. Translated by Madden. London: The Society of Antiquaries of London.
Layamon (1847) [c. 1215]. Madden, Frederic (ed.). Layamons Brut, or Chronicle of Britain; A Poetical Semi-Saxon Paraphrase of The Brut of Wace. Vol. II. Translated by Madden. London: The Society of Antiquaries of London.
Layamon (1847) [c. 1215]. Madden, Frederic (ed.). Layamons Brut, or Chronicle of Britain; A Poetical Semi-Saxon Paraphrase of The Brut of Wace. Vol. III. Translated by Madden. London: The Society of Antiquaries of London.
January 19, 2024
layamon, brut, 1190, 1215, also, known, chronicle, britain, middle, english, alliterative, verse, poem, compiled, recast, english, priest, layamon, lines, long, narrates, fictionalized, version, history, britain, early, middle, ages, first, work, history, writ. Layamon s Brut ca 1190 1215 also known as The Chronicle of Britain is a Middle English alliterative verse poem compiled and recast by the English priest Layamon Layamon s Brut is 16 096 lines long and narrates a fictionalized version of the history of Britain up to the Early Middle Ages It is the first work of history written in English since the Anglo Saxon Chronicle Named for Britain s mythical founder Brutus of Troy the poem is largely based on the Anglo Norman French Roman de Brut by Wace which is in turn a version of Geoffrey of Monmouth s Latin Historia Regum Britanniae Layamon s poem however is longer than both and includes an enlarged section on the life and exploits of King Arthur It is written in the alliterative verse style commonly used in Middle English poetry by rhyming chroniclers the two halves of the alliterative lines being often linked by rhyme as well as by alliteration Like the earlier Latin works it is now regarded as valueless as history It gives the history of the Britons largely ignoring the Anglo Saxons Its narrative ends with the Welsh king Cadwallon ap Cadfan who died in 634 Contents 1 Language and style 2 Manuscripts editions and translations 3 References 4 Bibliography 4 1 EditionsLanguage and style editThe versification of the Brut has proven extremely difficult to characterise Written in a loose alliterative style sporadically deploying rhyme as well as a caesural pause between the hemistichs of a line it is perhaps closer to the rhythmical prose of AElfric of Eynsham than to verse especially in comparison with later alliterative writings such as Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and Piers Plowman Layamon s alliterating verse is difficult to analyse seemingly avoiding the more formalised styles of the later poets Layamon s Middle English is notably native in its vocabulary i e devoid of words borrowed from Norman French the scholar B S Monroe counted a mere 150 words derived from French in the poem s 16 000 lines 1 It is remarkable for its abundant Anglo Saxon vocabulary deliberately archaic Saxon forms that were quaint even by Anglo Saxon standards Imitations in the Brut of certain stylistic and prosodic features of Old English alliterative verse show a knowledge and interest in preserving its conventions 2 Layamon s Brut remains one of the best extant examples of early Middle English 3 During an era in English history when most prose and poetry were composed in French Layamon wrote for his illiterate impoverished religious audience in Worcestershire 4 In 1216 around the time Layamon wrote King Henry III of England came to the throne Henry regarded himself as an Englishman above any other nationality unlike many of his recent predecessors and moved his kingdom away from the Old French dialects that had ruled the country s cultural endeavors 2 Several original passages in the poem at least in accordance with the present knowledge of extant texts from the Middle Ages suggest Layamon was interested in carving out the history of the Britons as the people who first possessed the land of the English 4 Manuscripts editions and translations editTwo copies of the manuscript are known one in the MS Cotton Caligula A ix dating from the third quarter of the 13th century and in the Cotton Otho C xiii copied about fifty years later though the extant damaged text is shorter Both manuscripts are in the British Library The text is online from the University of Michigan References edit Monroe B S January 1907 French Words in Lazamon Modern Philology 4 3 559 567 doi 10 1086 386719 ISSN 0026 8232 S2CID 161738746 a b Ackerman Robert W 1966 Backgrounds to Medieval English Literature 1st New York Random House Inc Solopova Elizabeth and Stuart D Lee Key Concepts in Medieval Literature 1st ed New York Palgrave Macmillan 2007 a b Everett Dorothy 1978 Layamon and the Earliest Middle English Alliterative Verse Essays on Middle English Literature Ed Patricia Kean Westport CT Greenwood Press Bibliography editLe Saux Francoise H M Layamon s Brut The Poem and its Sources 1989 Boydell and Brewer Tiller Kenneth Layamon s Brut and the Anglo Norman Vision of History 2007 University of Wales Press ISBN 9780708319024Editions edit Brook G L and R F Leslie ed Laȝamon Brut Edited from British Museum MS Cotton Caligula A ix and British Museum MS Cotton Otho C xiii Early English Text Society 250 277 2 vols London Oxford University Press 1963 78 http quod lib umich edu cgi t text text idx c cme idno LayCal The standard edition W R J Barron and S C Weinberg ed and trans Laȝamon s Arthur The Arthurian Section of Laȝamon s Brut Lines 9229 14297 Harlow Longman 1989 Facing text and translation based on the Caligula MS Allen Rosamund trans Laȝamon Brut London 1992 Wace and Layamon Arthurian chronicles trans by Eugene Mason London Dent 1962 Layamon 1847 c 1215 Madden Frederic ed Layamons Brut or Chronicle of Britain A Poetical Semi Saxon Paraphrase of The Brut of Wace Vol I Translated by Madden London The Society of Antiquaries of London Layamon 1847 c 1215 Madden Frederic ed Layamons Brut or Chronicle of Britain A Poetical Semi Saxon Paraphrase of The Brut of Wace Vol II Translated by Madden London The Society of Antiquaries of London Layamon 1847 c 1215 Madden Frederic ed Layamons Brut or Chronicle of Britain A Poetical Semi Saxon Paraphrase of The Brut of Wace Vol III Translated by Madden London The Society of Antiquaries of London Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Layamon 27s Brut amp oldid 1191483410, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
