Old English Literature
Here is a list of some popular ones. But for a complete extensive list, visit this amazing site "Old English Pages"
****************************************************************************************
Excellant Book to learn Old English [unfortunately out of print so check your library]
Brights' Old English Grammar and Reader edited by: Frederic G. Cassidy and Richer N. Ringler
Harcourt Brace Jovanovich College Publishers, 1971 Third Edition, Second Corrected Printing
*****************************************************************************************
Beowulf: Probably the most well-known piece from this time period is Beowulf. It is an epic poem, whose author is unknown and which survived by accident among several other manuscripts. It tells the story of how the hero, Beowulf saves Hrothgar's kingdom from two monsters and then becomes King of the Geats. However, this story creates much literary controversy and many studies have been undertaken in regards to this subject alone. Here are some sites and books on the subject that are reccommended:
An excellant site containing the Beowulf manuscript in Old English and in translation
Liuzza, R. M, Beowulf, Broadview Literary Texts, 2000
Davis, Craig, Beowulf and the Demie of Germanic Legend in England, Garland Publishing Inc, NY 1996
My work: Beowulf: The Personification of Supernatural Beings in Relation to the Swedish-Geatish Wars
Parallels of Supernatural Beings in Beowulf and Grettir's Saga
*************************************************************************************
The Dream of the Rood
Here's an excellant site of the Dream of the Rood and the Ruthwell Cross in Old English, Modern English and Runic Inscription. Need to learn your runes? Check out my OE Rune site.
The "Dream of the Rood" is a poem told from the perspective of the cross on which Jesus was crucified.
**************************************************************************************
The Wife's Lament
The Wife's Lament is my favorite Old English poem, hence I spent three weeks translating it from Old English to Modern English myself as my final project for Eng 214 Old English. It is about a woman who has been cast away from friends and family because of a feud in which her husband was a part of. During the poem she explores a variety of vast emotions concerning this exile.
Here is a site complete with the Old English next to the Modern English translation, by Henry Ahrens.
Here is also my attempt to translate the poem. I can't put the Old English next to it yet [I taught myself how to use computers can't you tell? So if you can help me that would be cool] but I have provided line numbers.
**************************************************************************************