Overview

"Despite a resurgence of interest in the history of the English Language there is currently no book available to introduce readers to the scripts used in Old and Middle English writing. The best way to gain a sense of the changes in scripts across time is via visual example, and this book seeks to show the reader just why Middle English is different from Old English and at the same time to explain how the change is gradual.Important literary texts are illustrated to demonstrate the chronological progression of the writing, for example: ""Caedmon's Hymn"" (the earliest extant English poem); the opening of an ""Exeter Book"" poem; the ""Lindisfarne Gospels""; the opening page of King Alfred's first translation; an illustrated version of the story of Abraham and Isaac; passages from the ""Anglo-Saxon Chronicle""; early (Lalamon) and late tellings of the story of Arthur( Malory); contrasting manuscripts of Chaucer's ""Troilus and Criseyde""; ""Langland""; and ""York"" plays. Each plate is reproduced full size where possible, accompanied by a full transcript, commentary and notes. Through visual examples, the reader will be introduced gradually to vocabulary suitable for the description of the script, so the book will be both suitable for both a general and student audience."

Full Product Details

Author:   Jane Roberts
Publisher:   British Library Publishing
Imprint:   The British Library Publishing Division
Edition:   Revised ed.
Dimensions:   Width: 21.90cm , Height: 2.00cm , Length: 27.60cm
Weight:   1.293kg
ISBN:  

9780712309035

ISBN 10:   0712309039
Pages:   328
Publication Date:   01 September 2008
Audience:   College/higher education ,  Professional and scholarly ,  Postgraduate, Research & Scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   No Longer Our Product
Availability:   In Print  
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Reviews

"""An immensely interesting and useful book for teachers and students of English palaeography, and equally for interested bibliophiles not engaged in any formal scholarly study of handwriting.""--Times Literary Supplement -- ""Times Literary Supplement"" ""This book is set to become the only tool for teachers and learners of English medieval-palaeography.""--Journal of the Early Book Society -- ""Journal of the Early Book Society "" ""Hereis that rarity, a book for scholars and enthusiasts alike--for anyone, in fact, with a feeling for our earliest literature, and the manuscripts in which it has come down to us.""--English Studies -- ""English Studies"""

Author Information

Jane Roberts is an emeritus Professor of English at the University of London.

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