Old English literature

Recognising the dramatic changes in Old English studies over the past generation, this anthology gathers 21 outstanding contemporary critical writings on the prose and poetry of Anglo-Saxon England, from approximately the 7th to the 11th centuries. The chapters focus on texts most commonly read in introductory Old English courses while also engaging with larger issues of Anglo-Saxon history, culture, and scholarship. Their approaches vary widely, encompassing disciplines from linguistics to psychoanalysis. The introduction presents an overview of Old English studies, the history of the scholarship, and major critical themes in the field.