A History of English Literature: The Middle Ages and the Renascence (650-1660)

admirable allegory alliterative verse ancient Anglo-Norman Anglo-Saxon Anglo-Saxon literature artistic ballad beauty Ben Jonson Beowulf Bible blank verse Byrhtnoth Cædmon century character charm Chaucer Christian classical colour comedy comic contemporary court Cynewulf death drama Dryden edition elements Elizabethan England English literature English poetry epic euphuism feeling France French genius gives heart Henry hero honour imagination imitated influence inspired John Jonson king language Latin legend less literary lively London lyrical marvellous Milton moral nature original Oxford passages passion period Piers Plowman plays playwrights poem poet poetic popular prose Puritan realism reign religious Renascence Restoration rhymes rhythm romances Saint satire Saxon scenes seems sentiment Shakespeare shows society songs sonnets Spenser spirit stage stanzas story style taste theatre theme Thomas thought tion tone tragedy translation trouvères turn verse versification vols whole wife words write written wrote