Middle English Religious and Didactic Poetry: Ormulum, The Owl and the Nightingale, Poem Morale, Cursor Mundi, Handlying Synne, Love Rune, Sinners, Beware
Middle English religious and didactic poetry encompasses a rich literary tradition that flourished during the medieval period. Rooted in the Christian faith, these poems served as a means of instructing and inspiring audiences in matters of religious devotion and moral guidance. They reflected the cultural and religious values of the time, often employing allegory, symbolism, and theological themes to convey profound spiritual truths. Through their intricate verse and powerful imagery, these poems continue to captivate readers and offer insights into the medieval mindset.
These poems, while diverse in themes and styles, collectively contribute to the Middle English religious and didactic tradition, offering spiritual guidance and moral teachings to their audiences.
1. Ormulum:-
*An Augustine monk named Orm, who lived in Marcia, writers this poem about 1200 A. D.
*This book is called Ormulum because Orm wrote it.
*This single fragment contains 10000 lines.
*The poem is basically the translation and paraphrases in verse of some 40 Gospels. It consists of a collection of homilies based on the Gospel readings for each Sunday and is notable for its systematic approach to verse and phonetic spelling.
*The "Ormulum" aims to provide a straightforward and accessible interpretation of biblical passages for the common people.
*It incorporates elements of didactic poetry, offering moral guidance and emphasizing the importance of living a virtuous Christian life.
*The text's unique spelling conventions, known as the Ormulum system, provide insights into the linguistic development of Middle English.
*It is written is north East midland dialect and free from foreign words.
*Autorship- unknown
* written probably in the early 13th century.
*It is a poem of some 800 octosyllabic lines.
*The poem is attributed to Nicholas de Guildford who lived at Portesham in Dorset.
*The poem is written in the form of debate.
* It presents a lively and spirited debate between two birds, the wise and solemn owl and the melodious nightingale. The poem revolves around a wide range of topics, including love, morality, nature, and social behavior. Each one bitterly criticizes the manner of living, habit of taking food, Power of singing physical feature of the other with equal wit and wisdom. Finally to judge who the winner is they agree to fly to one Nicholas de Guildford.
*The poem is a five example of allegory. The Nightingale stands for lighter joys of life, thoughtless youth art and mauve where as the owl stands for wisdom, sobriety, philosophy and thought.
* The owl represents practicality and worldly wisdom, while the nightingale embodies beauty, passion, and idealism. Through their poetic arguments, the birds engage in a humorous and satirical dialogue, showcasing the clash between different perspectives and values.
*The poem has a high dramatic force which is born out of the clash of the country character’s and because of its wit; humour and diverting satires it can be characterized as a true comedy.
* It offers insight into medieval society and provides entertainment while provoking reflections on human nature and the complexities of life.
3.Poem Morale:-
*It is a poem of some 400 lines. Written probably in 1170 by an unknown poet.
*The poem begins with the poet’s lamentation for his in spent youth and wasted opportunities. He advises his reads to take the paths of true and virtue to gain the final salvation.
*The poem is inspired with Christian zeal and it echoes the medical Catholicism.
4.Cursor Mundi:-
*It is a poem some 24000 lines written in rhenium.
*It is written about 1320 probably by a North Anglic cleric.
*It treats almost all the old and New Testament stories and also much of later religious history.
*There are seven main divisions in the work to present the entire story of the Bible.
They are –
a. The fall of angels.
b. The creation of man.
c. The loss of paradise.
d. The death of Adam.
e. The story of Virgin Mary and Jesus Christian.
f. The mystery of Apostles.
g. Coming of anti – Christ and the Dooms day.
*Its aim was to popularize religious instruction of the people.
*The poem is an ambitious retelling of biblical history and encompasses a wide range of theological and historical themes.
* Comprehensive account of salvation history, from the creation of the world to the Last Judgment. It incorporates biblical narratives, apocryphal stories, and religious legends, presenting them in a verse format for the edification and instruction of its readers.
*The poem serves as a didactic and moral guide, emphasizing the importance of faith, virtue, and adherence to Christian principles. It explores theological concepts, offers moral teachings, and promotes devotion to God and the Church.
5. The Prick of Conscience:-
*The poem is perhaps written by Richard Rolle of Hampole.
*The work which is based on the writings of the early fathers, describes the joys and sorrows of a man’s life as he is affected in turn by good and evil.
*The poem is divided into seven parts including a prologue.
*What is most important regarding this poem is that the abstract matter of this poem is handled in a simple way with several striking passages.
*The poem explores the themes of sin, redemption, judgment, and salvation.
* It takes the form of a dialogue between the soul and the body, where the soul serves as a moral advisor, urging the body to renounce sin and embrace a virtuous life. The poem draws heavily on biblical teachings and uses vivid imagery and allegory to convey its message.
* The poem highlights the fleeting nature of worldly pleasures and warns against the consequences of sinful behavior. It emphasizes the importance of repentance, faith, and adherence to Christian teachings. The ultimate goal is to prick the reader's conscience, prompting self-reflection and inspiring a commitment to righteousness.
6. Handlying Synne:-
*"Handlying Synne," also known as "The Handling of Sin," is a Middle English religious poem written in the late 14th century by Robert Mannyng.
*It is based upon “William Waddington’s Manuel des peaches”.
*In 44 stories the poet illustrates the various ways of sins.
It is a didactic work that addresses the topic of sin, providing guidance on recognizing, confessing, and repenting from various sins.
*The poem is structured as a dialogue between the author and a spiritual guide, who instructs Mannyng on the nature of sin, its consequences, and the path to spiritual redemption.
* It draws extensively from biblical stories, teachings, and moral anecdotes to illustrate the different types of sins and their corresponding virtues.
* The poem covers a wide range of sins, including pride, greed, lust, envy, wrath, gluttony, and sloth. Each sin is examined in detail, along with its detrimental effects on the soul. The spiritual guide offers practical advice on how to resist temptations and cultivate virtuous behavior.
* It serves as a moral compass, urging readers to reflect upon their actions, acknowledge their sins, and seek God's forgiveness. It emphasizes the importance of self-examination, personal responsibility, and the transformative power of repentance.
7. Love Rune:-
*The poem is written by some “Thomas of Hales”.
*The poem brings out the vanity and transience of earthly love and advocates the pure love of Christ.
8. Sinners, Beware:-
*It is poem of 354 lines.
*It describes the horror of hell, the horror of grave and the poem gives the warning against the seven deadly sins.
Ref:
1. ALBERT. (2000). History of English Literature (Fifth Edition) [English]. OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS.
2. A short history of English literature : Saintsbury, George, 1845-1933 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive. (n.d.). Internet Archive. https://archive.org/details/shorthistoryofen00sain
3. A history of English literature : Compton-Rickett, Arthur, 1869-1937 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive. (n.d.). Internet Archive. https://archive.org/details/historyofenglish00comprich
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