Layamon or Laghamon (UK: /ˈlaɪ.əmən,-mɒn/, US: /ˈleɪ.əmən,ˈlaɪ-/; Middle English:[ˈlaɣamon]) – spelled Laȝamon or Laȝamonn in his time, occasionally written Lawman – was an English poet of the late 12th/early 13th century and author of the Brut, a notable work that was the first to present the legends of Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table in English poetry (the first Arthurian poems were by Frenchman Chretian de Troyes).
J. R. R. Tolkien valued him as a transmitter of early English legends in a fashion comparable to the role played with respect to Icelandic legend by Snorri Sturluson.[1]
Layamon describes himself in his poem as a priest, living at Areley Kings in Worcestershire. His poem had a significant impact on medieval history writing in England and the development of Arthurian literature[2] and subsequently provided inspiration for numerous later writers, including Sir Thomas Malory and Jorge Luis Borges.
Brut (ca. 1190) is a Middle English poem compiled and recast by the English priest Layamon. It is named after Britain's mythical founder, Brutus of Troy. It is contained in the MSS. Cotton Caligula A.ix, written in the first quarter of the 13th century, and in the Cotton Otho C.xiii, written about fifty years later (though in this edition it is shorter). Both exist in the British Library.
The Brut is 16,095 lines long and narrates the history of Britain. It is largely based on the Anglo-NormanRoman de Brut by Wace, which is in turn inspired by Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae. It is, however, longer than both and includes an enlarged section on the life and exploits of King Arthur. Among the new material Layamon provided were an account of the birth of Merlin and one of the origins of the Round Table,[3] as well as details of Arthur's departure by ship to Avalon to be healed by the elf-queen.[4]
It is written in a combination of alliterative verse, deriving from Old English, and rhyme, influenced by Wace's Roman de Brut and used in later Middle English poetry.
Spelling of nameedit
Print-era editors and cataloguers have spelled his name in various ways, including "Layamon", "Lazamon", or "Lawman". Brown University suggests that the form "Layamon" is etymologically incorrect; the Fifth International Conference on Laȝamon'sBrut at Brown University stated, "BL MS Cotton Caligula A.ix spells it 'Laȝamon' (the third letter is called a "yogh"). BL MS Cotton Otho C.xiii spelled it 'Laweman' and 'Loweman'."[5]
^T. Shippey, The Road to Middle-Earth (1992) p. 300 and p. 57
^I. Ousby ed, The Cambridge Guide to Literature in English (1995) p. 536
^J. R. Tanner ed., The Cambridge Medieval History VI (Cambridge 1929) p. 826
^C. Tolkien ed., The Fall of Arthur (2015) p. 146-8
^program Medieval Studies Department, Brown University Retrieved October 21, 2006
Referencesedit
Ackerman, Robert W. (1966), Backgrounds to Medieval English Literature, New York: Random House.
Barron, W. R. J., ed. (2001), Layamon's Arthur: The Arthurian Section of Layamon's Brut (lines 9229–14297), translated by Weinberg, S. C., Exeter University Press, ISBN978-0-85989-685-6.
Cannon, Christopher (2004), The Grounds of English Literature, Oxford University Press, ISBN0-19-927082-1.
Everett, Dorothy (1978), "Laȝamon and the Earliest Middle English Alliterative Verse", in Patricia Kean. (ed.), Essays on Middle English Literature, Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.
Lewis, C. S. (1964), The Discarded Image: An Introduction to Medieval and Renaissance Literature, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Loomis, Roger S. (1959), "Layamon's Brut", in Roger S. Loomis (ed.), Arthurian Literature in the Middle Ages, Clarendon Press, ISBN0-19-811588-1.
Solopova, Elizabeth; Lee., Stuart D. (2007), Key Concepts in Medieval Literature, New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
Tiller, Kenneth J. (2007), Layamon's Brut and the Anglo-Norman Vision of History, University of Chicago Press, ISBN978-0-7083-1902-4.
Brut by Layamon (British Library, MS Cotton Caligula A.ix manuscript version)
Le Brut de Layamon by Marie-Françoise Alamichel
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. Also, Vol. II and Vol. III.
January 01, 1970
layamon, laghamon, middle, english, ˈlaɣamon, spelled, laȝamon, laȝamonn, time, occasionally, written, lawman, english, poet, late, 12th, early, 13th, century, author, brut, notable, work, that, first, present, legends, arthur, knights, round, table, english, . Layamon or Laghamon UK ˈ l aɪ e m e n m ɒ n US ˈ l eɪ e m e n ˈ l aɪ Middle English ˈlaɣamon spelled Laȝamon or Laȝamonn in his time occasionally written Lawman was an English poet of the late 12th early 13th century and author of the Brut a notable work that was the first to present the legends of Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table in English poetry the first Arthurian poems were by Frenchman Chretian de Troyes J R R Tolkien valued him as a transmitter of early English legends in a fashion comparable to the role played with respect to Icelandic legend by Snorri Sturluson 1 Contents 1 Life and influence 2 Brut 3 Spelling of name 4 See also 5 Notes 6 References 7 External linksLife and influence editLayamon describes himself in his poem as a priest living at Areley Kings in Worcestershire His poem had a significant impact on medieval history writing in England and the development of Arthurian literature 2 and subsequently provided inspiration for numerous later writers including Sir Thomas Malory and Jorge Luis Borges Brut editMain article Layamon s Brut Brut ca 1190 is a Middle English poem compiled and recast by the English priest Layamon It is named after Britain s mythical founder Brutus of Troy It is contained in the MSS Cotton Caligula A ix written in the first quarter of the 13th century and in the Cotton Otho C xiii written about fifty years later though in this edition it is shorter Both exist in the British Library The Brut is 16 095 lines long and narrates the history of Britain It is largely based on the Anglo Norman Roman de Brut by Wace which is in turn inspired by Geoffrey of Monmouth s Historia Regum Britanniae It is however longer than both and includes an enlarged section on the life and exploits of King Arthur Among the new material Layamon provided were an account of the birth of Merlin and one of the origins of the Round Table 3 as well as details of Arthur s departure by ship to Avalon to be healed by the elf queen 4 It is written in a combination of alliterative verse deriving from Old English and rhyme influenced by Wace s Roman de Brut and used in later Middle English poetry Spelling of name editPrint era editors and cataloguers have spelled his name in various ways including Layamon Lazamon or Lawman Brown University suggests that the form Layamon is etymologically incorrect the Fifth International Conference on Laȝamon s Brut at Brown University stated BL MS Cotton Caligula A ix spells it Laȝamon the third letter is called a yogh BL MS Cotton Otho C xiii spelled it Laweman and Loweman 5 See also editAlliterative Morte Arthure The Fall of Arthur by J R R TolkienNotes edit T Shippey The Road to Middle Earth 1992 p 300 and p 57 I Ousby ed The Cambridge Guide to Literature in English 1995 p 536 J R Tanner ed The Cambridge Medieval History VI Cambridge 1929 p 826 C Tolkien ed The Fall of Arthur 2015 p 146 8 program Medieval Studies Department Brown University Retrieved October 21 2006References editAckerman Robert W 1966 Backgrounds to Medieval English Literature New York Random House Barron W R J ed 2001 Layamon s Arthur The Arthurian Section of Layamon sBrut lines 9229 14297 translated by Weinberg S C Exeter University Press ISBN 978 0 85989 685 6 Cannon Christopher 2004 The Grounds of English Literature Oxford University Press ISBN 0 19 927082 1 Everett Dorothy 1978 Laȝamon and the Earliest Middle English Alliterative Verse in Patricia Kean ed Essays on Middle English Literature Westport CT Greenwood Press Lewis C S 1964 The Discarded Image An Introduction to Medieval and Renaissance Literature Cambridge Cambridge University Press Loomis Roger S 1959 Layamon s Brut in Roger S Loomis ed Arthurian Literature in the Middle Ages Clarendon Press ISBN 0 19 811588 1 Solopova Elizabeth Lee Stuart D 2007 Key Concepts in Medieval Literature New York Palgrave Macmillan Tiller Kenneth J 2007 Layamon sBrutand the Anglo Norman Vision of History University of Chicago Press ISBN 978 0 7083 1902 4 External links edit nbsp Wikiquote has quotations related to Layamon Works by Layamon at Project Gutenberg Works by or about Layamon at Internet Archive Brut by Layamon British Library MS Cotton Caligula A ix manuscript version LeBrutde Layamon by Marie Francoise Alamichel 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 Also Vol II and Vol III Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Layamon amp oldid 1176140364, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
