Read Online Professor Borges - A Course on English Literature by Jorge Luis Borges - Free Book Online
Authors: Jorge Luis Borges
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horseback to Wessex, “each in his glory.” 20 And after this verse of exaltation, something happens that is also peculiar in the Middle Ages, because we need to remember that the people at that time, like the Indians in the Pampas here, wouldn’t have had much historical consciousness. This poet, however, who was obviously an educated man—he had all the ancient metaphors at his fingertips, as well as all the rules of Germanic verse—he says that never had such a great battle been waged on this island, England, not since the Saxons and the Anglos, “proud war-smiths” (he says this as if war were a tool, an iron tool), came to these islands motivated by—and hereTennyson translated “by the hunger of glory.” And he tells us that “over the broad billow broke into Britain with haughty war-workers.”
In other words, this poet from the tenth century, from the beginning of the tenth century, is recalling the Germanic conquest of England which occurred in the fifth century; he connects his memory of this present victory, which must have been very moving for the Saxons—for it was more common for the Norse to defeat them, and rare for them to be the victors—he linked it to the often secular victories enjoyed by the first Germanic peoples who arrived in England.
In the next class we will look at another Anglo-Saxon epic poem, one that commemorates a Norwegian victory over the Anglo-Saxons, not a defeat. We will then talk about Christian poetry proper, that is, poetry based on the Bible and on Christian sentiment.
CLASS 5
"THE BATTLE OF MALDON." CHRISTIAN POETRY. "CAEDMON'S HYMN." THE RUNIC ALPHABET. CHARACTERISTICS OF ANGLO-SAXON ELEGIES
MONDAY, OCTOBER 24, 1966
During the last decade of the tenth century, an event took place in England that had only relative military importance, but it had great relevance for the history of English literature, for out of it came the ballad of “The Battle of Maldon,” which tells of a defeat rather than a victory. One could say that defeats are better than victories for poetry. Let us consider, as one example, the famous
Chanson de Roland
, one of the great poems of French literature, whose subject, as you well know, was a defeat of the rearguard of Charlemagne’s army by a group of Basque mountain dwellers, who figure as Saracens in the poem.
In
TheAnglo-Saxon Chronicle
, written by the monks of several monasteries, one can read that in the last decade of the tenth century—in approximately the year 990, I do not remember the exact date—Olaf Tryggvason landed on the east coast of England and went to find Byrhtnoth, the earl of the town. 1 The Vikings demanded that he pay them a tribute. So, what did he do? He refused to pay the tribute. This all happened along the banks of a river that is today called Blackwater. Combat ensued between the Vikings, who were the leading warriors and sailors of the era, and a small group of militiamen. The Saxon militiamen were defeated by the Vikings, and soon thereafter, the king of England, who was named Æthelred, and later nicknamed “the Unready,” agreed to pay the Danes an annual tribute, and the government continued to collect it for a long time after the threat of Viking invasions had already passed. 2
It appears that the poet witnessed the battle firsthand, probably as one of the combatants. This can be deduced by the abundance of specific details. In the Middle Ages, circumstantial details were never invented. Now, they are used by all and any novelist, and any journalist. At that time, people thought differently; they thought platonically, allegorically. The abundance of circumstantial details in “The Battle of Maldon” is proof of its authenticity—or rather, nobody would have thought to invent them. The ballad has preserved several features of ancient Saxon epic poetry. For example, the characters talk too much—they make little speeches that are somewhat implausible in the middle of a battle.
Also preserved are
In other words, this poet from the tenth century, from the beginning of the tenth century, is recalling the Germanic conquest of England which occurred in the fifth century; he connects his memory of this present victory, which must have been very moving for the Saxons—for it was more common for the Norse to defeat them, and rare for them to be the victors—he linked it to the often secular victories enjoyed by the first Germanic peoples who arrived in England.
In the next class we will look at another Anglo-Saxon epic poem, one that commemorates a Norwegian victory over the Anglo-Saxons, not a defeat. We will then talk about Christian poetry proper, that is, poetry based on the Bible and on Christian sentiment.
CLASS 5
"THE BATTLE OF MALDON." CHRISTIAN POETRY. "CAEDMON'S HYMN." THE RUNIC ALPHABET. CHARACTERISTICS OF ANGLO-SAXON ELEGIES
MONDAY, OCTOBER 24, 1966
During the last decade of the tenth century, an event took place in England that had only relative military importance, but it had great relevance for the history of English literature, for out of it came the ballad of “The Battle of Maldon,” which tells of a defeat rather than a victory. One could say that defeats are better than victories for poetry. Let us consider, as one example, the famous
Chanson de Roland
, one of the great poems of French literature, whose subject, as you well know, was a defeat of the rearguard of Charlemagne’s army by a group of Basque mountain dwellers, who figure as Saracens in the poem.
In
TheAnglo-Saxon Chronicle
, written by the monks of several monasteries, one can read that in the last decade of the tenth century—in approximately the year 990, I do not remember the exact date—Olaf Tryggvason landed on the east coast of England and went to find Byrhtnoth, the earl of the town. 1 The Vikings demanded that he pay them a tribute. So, what did he do? He refused to pay the tribute. This all happened along the banks of a river that is today called Blackwater. Combat ensued between the Vikings, who were the leading warriors and sailors of the era, and a small group of militiamen. The Saxon militiamen were defeated by the Vikings, and soon thereafter, the king of England, who was named Æthelred, and later nicknamed “the Unready,” agreed to pay the Danes an annual tribute, and the government continued to collect it for a long time after the threat of Viking invasions had already passed. 2
It appears that the poet witnessed the battle firsthand, probably as one of the combatants. This can be deduced by the abundance of specific details. In the Middle Ages, circumstantial details were never invented. Now, they are used by all and any novelist, and any journalist. At that time, people thought differently; they thought platonically, allegorically. The abundance of circumstantial details in “The Battle of Maldon” is proof of its authenticity—or rather, nobody would have thought to invent them. The ballad has preserved several features of ancient Saxon epic poetry. For example, the characters talk too much—they make little speeches that are somewhat implausible in the middle of a battle.
Also preserved are
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