Kirjahaku

Noah’s Flood is one of the Bible’s most popular stories, and flood myths survive in many cultures today. This book presents the first comprehensive examination of the incorporation of the Flood myth into the Anglo-Saxon imagination. Focusing on literary representations, it contributes to our understanding of how Christian Anglo-Saxons perceived their place in the cosmos. For them, history unfolded between the primeval Deluge and a future – perhaps imminent – flood of fire, which would destroy the world. This study reveals both an imaginative diversity and shared interpretations of the Flood myth. Anglo-Saxons saw the Flood as a climactic event in God’s ongoing war with his more rebellious creatures, but they also perceived the mystery of redemption through baptism. Anlezark studies a range of texts against their historical background, and discusses shifting emphases in the way the Flood was interpreted for diverse audiences. The book concludes with a discussion of Beowulf, relating the epic poem’s presentation of the Flood myth to that of other Anglo-Saxon texts.

Noah’s Flood is one of the Bible’s most popular stories, and flood myths survive in many cultures today. This book presents the first comprehensive examination of the incorporation of the Flood myth into the Anglo-Saxon imagination. Focusing on literary representations, it contributes to our understanding of how Christian Anglo-Saxons perceived their place in the cosmos. For them, history unfolded between the primeval Deluge and a future – perhaps imminent – flood of fire, which would destroy the world. This study reveals both an imaginative diversity and shared interpretations of the Flood myth. Anglo-Saxons saw the Flood as a climactic event in God’s ongoing war with his more rebellious creatures, but they also perceived the mystery of redemption through baptism. Anlezark studies a range of texts against their historical background, and discusses shifting emphases in the way the Flood was interpreted for diverse audiences. The book concludes with a discussion of Beowulf, relating the epic poem’s presentation of the Flood myth to that of other Anglo-Saxon texts.

Offers insights into sources and inspirations, authorship and authorial style, and patterns of separation and convergence across versions of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle is one of the most important documents to survive from early medieval England. Written in Old English, it was first created during the reign of King Alfred the Great (871-899). Up to Alfred's reign, and then in multiple continuations extending into the twelfth century, the Chronicle versions often provide a unique record of events, at times reported in the barest style, at others with passionate commentary. This book is the first to tell the story of how the Chronicles came to be, providing a clear but detailed account of the development of its various versions. It starts with an examination of the textual and manuscript evidence, then explores the work of the two chroniclers first responsible for the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle's creation in the late ninth century, arguing that the first made a set of annals from disparate sources. The author then contends that a later reviser aligned with the Alfredian political programme wrote the annals for Alfred's reign, and at the same time also revised earlier entries, including the famous story of Cynewulf and Cyneheard. This book also sheds new light on the annals of Æthelred the Unready, arguing that Archbishop Wulfstan of York is likely to have authored some of these, together with some tenth-century annals. Its final chapter provides the first comprehensive study of all the Chronicles' poetry.

Alfred the Great is a rare historical figure from the early Middle Ages, in that he retains a popular image. This image increasingly suffers from the dead white male syndrome, exacerbated by Alfred's association with British imperialism and colonialism, so this book provides an accessible reassessment of the famous ruler of Wessex, informed by current scholarship, both on the king as a man in history, and the king as a subsequent legendary construct. Daniel Anlezark presents Alfred in his historical context, seen through Asser's Life, the Anglo Saxon Chronicle, and other texts associated with the king. The book engages with current discussions about the authenticity of attributions to Alfred of works such as the Old English Boethius and Soliloquies, and explores how this ninth-century king of Wessex came to be considered the Great king of legend.