OLD ENGLISH LITERATURE: Key Points to Remember of CAEDMON’S HYMN (CAEDMON)

IN OLD ENGLISH LITERATURE CAEDMON IS THE FIRST SINGER WHO TUNES THE ENGLISH FAITH FOR THE AWAKENING NATION: 

History of English Literature by EDWARD ALBERT

CAEDMON’S HYMN (CAEDMON)

Important Notes:

Caedmon's Hymn is a significant piece of literature from Old English, dating back to the 7th century. Here are some key points to remember about Caedmon's Hymn:

Author

 Caedmon (650?-680?), considered the earliest of the Anglo-Saxon Christian poets. The first English poet of whom we have any knowledge. Originally employed as cowherd at the Abbey of Whitby, he became a singer when somewhat advanced in life.The only information concerning Caedmon is in the Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation (731), by the English theologian Saint Bede the Venerable.

By Rich Tea, CC BY-SA 2.0,
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According to Bede, Caedmon was an illiterate herdsmen who had a vision one night and heard a voice commanding him to sing of “the beginning of created things.”The story of how the gift of song came to him is given by Bede, how having fallen asleep in the stable he dreamed that one came to him desiring a song, and on his asking "What shall I sing?" replied "Sing to me of the beginning of created things." Therefore he began to sing and, on awaking, remembered his song and added to it. Thereafter he told what had befallen him to the bailiff who was over him, who repeated the tale to the Abbess Hilda. She having called together certain learned and pious persons, C. was brought before them, told his story, and recited his verses. A part of Scripture was read to him, which he was asked to turn into verse; and this being done he was received into the Abbey where, for the rest of his life, he lived as a monk, and continued to make his holy songs.  Later Caedmon supposedly wrote the poem about the creation known as Caedmon's Hymn, which Bede recorded in prose. Bede further states that Saint Hilda, the abbess of a nearby monastery (now called Whitby), recognized Caedmon's poetic ability and invited him to enter the monastery as a lay brother.

Caedmon spent the rest of his life at the monastery writing poetry on biblical themes. In the Bodleian Library at the University of Oxford is a manuscript containing the so-called Caedmon poems. It is now agreed that many of the poems in the Bodleian collection were probably written later than Caedmon's poetry. The only work that can be attributed to Caedmon is “Hymn of Creation,” which Saint Bede quoted. It survives in several manuscripts of Bede's Ecclesiastical History and contains several dialects.

Theme

Caedmon's Hymn is a religious poem that praises the glory and power of God as the creator of the universe. It is a hymn of creation and a celebration of God's greatness.

Language

 The hymn is written in Old English, which is the earliest form of the English language. It reflects the poetic style and language of the time, characterized by alliteration, kennings, and a regular stress pattern.

Structure

 Caedmon's Hymn consists of nine lines and follows a simple and repetitive structure. It employs a tripartite division, with the first three lines focusing on praising God as the creator, the next three lines emphasizing the creation of light, and the final three lines affirming God's eternal power and authority.

Influence

Caedmon's Hymn is the earliest known recorded poem in English. It holds great historical and literary significance as an example of early Christian poetry and marks the beginning of English literature.

Manuscripts

 The hymn is preserved in the manuscript known as the "Venerable Bede's Ecclesiastical History of the English People" (or "Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum"), written by the monk and scholar Bede in the 8th century. Bede provides a Latin translation of Caedmon's original Old English poem.

Religious Context

Caedmon's Hymn reflects the influence of Christianity in Anglo-Saxon England. It showcases the oral tradition of religious poetry and the role of religious themes in the literary and cultural development of the time.

Importance

Caedmon's Hymn represents the intersection of religious devotion, oral tradition, and the development of English literature. It serves as an early example of the use of vernacular language and poetry to express religious sentiments.

 Ardhendu De  

Ref: 

 A History Of English Prosody Vol. 1 : Saintsbury George : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive. (n.d.). Internet Archive. https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.93134

A history of English literature : Buchan, John, 1875-1940 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive. (n.d.). Internet Archive. https://archive.org/details/historyofenglish00buch

ALBERT. (2000). History of English Literature (Fifth Edition) [English]. OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS.