Old English Prose

 Old English Prose 

 King Alfred: Though there were some prose writings of an official nature before the time Alfred, there can be little objection to the claim frequently made for him, that he is the 'father of English prose'. As he himself tells us in the preface to the Pastoral Care, he began his series of translations due to the lamentable state of English learning, largely the result of the depredations of the Danes. Even the knowledge of Latin was declining, so the king, in order to encourage learning among the clergy, translated some popular books into his own tongue. These works are his contribution to our literature. Sometimes he translated word for word, at others more freely but those passages which have the greatest value both for an understanding of the character of the king and also for their literary qualities are originals freely introduced by way of explanation or expansion. The five important translations are the Pastoral Care of Pope Gregory, The History of the world of Orosius, Bede's Ecclesiastical History, Boethius Consolation of Philosophy, and the Soliloquies of St Augustine, though it should be noted that Alfred claim to the translation of Bede is disputed. There is in addition, a handbook or commonplace book, the existence of which we know from Asser, the king's biographer, but which is no longer extant. The chronological order of the translations cannot be determined with any certainty, though it is clear that the Pastoral care was the first and the Soliloquies the last of the series.

A Brief extract is given below to illustrate his prose style, but it should be remembered that this is from of earliest work and comparison should be made with the preface of the Soliloquies to see the development. It is not polished style, but that cannot be expected in view of the stage of development of prose as a literary form. For the most part, it is a simple, straightforward style and though Alfred never completely masters it, there is always the feeling that he was an artist of considerable natural ability though it is idle to speculate what he would have produced had he lived at a later period when a more highly developed prose-style had been evolved.

 Aelfric: He probably best known for his grammar, was a churchman who became abbot of Eynsham in 1005. Several of his works are extant; The Catholic Homilies, two series of sermons suitable for delivery by the priest, a third series -The lives of the saints and translations from the Scriptures. Aelfric's flowing and vigorous style show remarkable skill in the art of putting complicated though into narrative form. It is natural and easy and is often alliterative. His Colloquy is of great interest as a dialogue between master and pupils not only from the literary but also from the historical point of view.

 Wulfstan:  He was Bishop of Worcester and Archbishop of York. Several of his singed homilies survive, and there are many more which are believed on good evidence to be by him. His most famous piece is the Sermo Lupi ad Anglos, which is typical for its sheer force and vigour, its repetition of ideas and the alliterative nature of its style. It is fluent and powerful; indeed Wulfstan must have been a most brilliant preacher.

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