The Norton Anthology of English Literature, Vol. A: Middle Ages

Norton Anthology of English Literature

by M.H. Abrams

Firmly grounded by the hallmark strengths of all Norton Anthologies thorough and helpful introductory matter, judicious annotation, complete texts wherever possible The Norton Anthology of English Literature has been revitalized in this Eighth Edition through the collaboration between six new editors and six seasoned ones. Under the direction of Stephen Greenblatt, General Editor, the editors have reconsidered all aspects of the anthology to make it an even better teaching tool.

Genres: Classics, Anthologies, Fiction, Poetry, Literature, Reference, Textbooks

580 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1999

About the author

Meyer Howard Abrams is an American literary critic, known for works on Romanticism, in particular his book The Mirror and the Lamp. In a powerful contrast, Abrams shows that until the Romantics, literature was usually understood as a mirror, reflecting the real world, in some kind of mimesis; but for the Romantics, writing was more like a lamp: the light of the writer's inner soul spilled out to illuminate the world. Under Abrams' editorship, the Norton Anthology of English Literature became the standard text for undergraduate survey courses across the U.S. and a major trendsetter in literary canon formation.

Abrams was born in a Jewish family in Long Branch, New Jersey. The son of a house painter and the first in his family to go to college, he entered Harvard University as an undergraduate in 1930. He went into English because, he says, "there weren't jobs in any other profession, so I thought I might as well enjoy starving, instead of starving while doing something I didn't enjoy." After earning his baccalaureate in 1934, Abrams won a Henry fellowship to the University of Cambridge, where his tutor was I.A. Richards. He returned to Harvard for graduate school in 1935 and received his Masters' degree in 1937 and his PhD in 1940. During World War II, he served at the Psycho-Acoustics Laboratory at Harvard. He describes his work as solving the problem of voice communications in a noisy military environment by establishing military codes that are highly audible and inventing selection tests for personnel who had a superior ability to recognize sound in a noisy background. In 1945 Abrams became a professor at Cornell University. As of March 4th, 2008, he was Class of 1916 Professor of English Emeritus there.

Reviews

[˗ˏˋ n a j v a ˊˎ˗ · Rating 4 out of 5]

As an “anthology” for English literature, the Norton series is a thorough, fine collection of medieval -in case of this volume- works, authors’ biography and some history. I’d recommend having some background of history of the England (since the Celtics or the Anglo-Saxon reign) to have a better understanding of the timeline and cultural effects of the written works.
Also, a little acquaintance with Italian or French history and poetry would be even better (like Dante’s Divine Comedy) for full proficiency over this period.

[Victoria Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

More like 2.5 ⭐️

This was another college text I revisited, for one of my many English classes (a class I took junior year, with Dr. Solomon, who was fantastic).

This started so strong - the Middle Ages literature of like old pagan Irish / Norse / Norman / Anglo-Saxon stuff is great (like Beowulf!!) with epic heroics and battles and magic, and then we move into my even more adored chivalry and romantic tales of knights and courts (and magic!!) - Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is absolutely one of my favorite works of literature in the English canon, it’s so fun. We get all of that and I was vibing and then I hit a wall (aka Chaucer).

Chaucer is a slog for me, which I know is controversial because soooo many people are into Canterbury Tales (which I admit made me laugh here and there) but then once I finalllly got past Chaucer it becomes all about Christianity and that’s when I REALLY checked out. There are only so many times I can read about the crucifixion or how one should live their holy life rid of sin before I just get so bored. I’m also not religious, so that doesn’t help.

If the writers of the Middle Ages didn’t end up becoming so obsessed with Jesus, this would have been a 3/3.5 for me :)

Updated with top three authors:
1. Unknown writer of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
2. Marie de France
3. Unknown writer of Beowulf

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of three volumes (A,B,C) in a bundle-pack required for my first English Lit. survey course. The course was entitled, English Literature: Beginnings Through 1865 (or something along those lines). Of the three, I found volume A to be most enjoyable for several reasons: the morality play "Everyman" (Anonymous), the Anglo-Saxon/Old English Poetry and parts of "The Canterbury Tales". Specific poems I enjoyed: "The Dream of the Rood" (allusion to the crucifix, the lord and savior Jesus Christ), "The Wanderer" (the loss of a lord, an elegiac poem teeming with Christian sentiments), and "The Wife's Lament"(a vague and questionable elegiac prose poem). The morality play, "Everyman" is a fun time--certainly a good read! There are bits and pieces of Geoffrey Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales", great/very helpful footnotes included in "The General Prologue" and the vulgar and hilarious "The Miller's Prologue and Tale". All in all, a good time, and if you are a student of Literature this should be one of your main books!

[Paras2 · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the essentials for English literature students. history and literature packed together. I feel thaf whatever I say is a cruel underestimation of this books worth so I'd rather keep silent in appreciation and awe.

**First reading review**
there'll be more times...

[David]

Actually reading the 11th edition which is not linked here yet.

[Liz]

How do you rate English history? I won't. I loved this though.

[Melisa Cabello Cuahutle]

I...

[Rachel Matsuoka · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like the Norton Anthology well enough for its introductions of the works and authors covered, but this volume had very little of that and I wasn't a huge fan of the selections, not a great diversity in that it was extremely biblical-heavy.

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was good; however, I had to read this for an English class and I pronounced everything wrong reading Chaucer so I'm salty.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super helpful introduction to the foundations of early-middle English literature.

[Rachel Woodruff · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want to know how literature began this is an excellent resource.

[Melina]

huzzah

[Sara Shupe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the introductions that went into the history behind the time period of the literature! I need to own all of this anthology!

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

fun to read stories like Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight but I was not a fan of the stories in Middle English — not fun to interpret

[Tom]

For the love of God, please translate the Chaucer.

[Tyler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eh… At least I can finally understand why others claim that Chaucer towers in skill over all of his contemporaries, (because he very obviously does!)

[Moe s. · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Say yes to heaven.”
Also, “Is Jesus Cool?”
Loved so many parts of this book but getting my tea clocked by an imaginative swallow from scores of eons ago has to be my favorite part.
•on to part two of the big 3, but may I say, I’m surprised with myself, I think I will miss the obsession with Jesus from this book.

[Dev Y · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars for Bisclavret alone tbh

[Katie (BooksRUs) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Best read in small chunks, but decent.

[Phillip · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the Norton Anthologies of Literature. I have been a Norton fan since my undergrad days when we used them in my survey classes, and now that I'm teaching lit surveys I'm passing these wonderful collections along to my students (by which I mean forcing my students to buy them).

The Norton editors are really good about providing background for such a wide variety of texts, including general introductory material about the medieval period--social organization, religious developments, changes in the English language from Anglo-Saxon Old English, through Norman French to Middle English, and into Early Modern English. The editors also provide more specific background for the individual texts, giving some history of the author (when it's known) and the significance of the text in the overall picture of English literature.

For my British Literature I survey, I selected a variety of texts, including "Cuchullain's Boyhood Deeds," the opening section of Beowulf, pieces of Chaucer's "General Prologue" and "Wife of Bath's Prologue," the "York Play of the Crucifixion," and a couple of pieces from Margery Kempe. As this list suggests, the Norton has a wide range of texts (and I didn't even cast as wide a net as I initially intended to), dealing with a multitude of issues that were important to medieval people, including religion, gender roles, chivalry, the shift from Anglo-Saxon/Old English to Norman/Middle English, and so on.

[Elliot Wang · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is rather a pilgrimage to go through the anthology of English literature in the Middle Ages, where I fight with Beowulf against Grendel, travel with Sir Gawain to look for the green knight, experience the dream vision beside Julian of Norwich, and leave for Canterbury along with the tales of Chaucer. It is remarkable that the vey beginning of great English literature — Beowulf — is translated into modern English by one of the most well-known contemporary Irish poet Seamus Heaney. As the "Preface to the Eighth Edition" observes, "this translation is a reminder that the most recent works can double back upon the distant past, and that words set down by men and women who have crumbled into dust can speak to us with astonishing directness (xxii) ."
I hope that I will pick up the old English and the Middle English so that I can read these marvelous works in their original form.

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the first volume in a set of 3.

It is a comprehensive history and survey of English literature up to Middle English.

I personally adore all Norton editions as I find their translations to be the best out there and the footnotes are not insane to read. Some anthologies over due the footnotes and annotations so much that there are more of those than actual text.

In all, this anthology gives a rather good summary and example of what English literature looked like, and includes most, if not all, major works of the time period.

I have begun to read the next in this series and hope it will be the same.

[Heather Adkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book for my English literature before 1600 class. We didn't read the whole thing, which is damn good because some of this stuff is significantly hard to read. To be honest, the class made the book amazing. The discussions we had on the use of religion in the works and everybody's conflicting opinions on characters such as Sir Gawain, Beowulf, and pietous ladies Kempe and Julian were a great way to appreciate literature. These works were the beginning, the famous pieces that were the foundation for writing of today.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this series of textbooks. Each section has a clear, concise introduction to different aspects of that theme. It provides brief, informative biographies on each author. It includes a wide variety of authors and poets to choose from. There is no way you could cover everything in this book in one semester. It has wonderful footnotes to help clarify archaic words and phrases as well. All this is presented without any kind of opinion or critique, leaving the passages open for debate or personal interpretation. I really enjoyed it.

[Erin]

So, I have to say this--literature from the Middle Ages does not resonate with me. But, because of the Norton contexts and the professor I had for this particular class, I have new-found appreciation for The Canterbury Tales ("The Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale"), Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and Beowolf (liked it better as an adult than when I was 17 y.o.).

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first book of the set used for my British Literature class. We used it mostly for the biographies of the authors, some poetry and the pronunciations to help us understand Old English. I've had to do a ton of reading for this class with even more to do, we are only in week five. I've enjoyed it immensely , especially since so many of the books had been sitting on my TBR list for multiple years.

[Yasmin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really well put together anthology, the glosses are good for middle english.

Beowulf 3/5
Lanval (Marie de France) 3/5
Sir Orfeo 4/5
Sir Gawain 4/5
Geoffrey of Monmouth books 8-10 3/5
Millers tale (Chaucer) 2/5
-Wife of Baths Tale
My Compleinte (Hoccleve) 4/5
Lyrics 2/5
York Crucifixion 4/5
-Everyman

Sunset on Cavalry:
'Nou goth sonne vnder wode,
Me reweth, marie, thi faire rode.
Nou goth sonne vnder tre,
Me retheth, marie, thi sone ad the.'

[Molli · Rating 3 out of 5]

The essentials of English Literature in easy to handle volumes!. Not really a book (or series) to read for sheer pleasure, unless you're a medievalist/classics enthusiast, but certainly worth the read. Unfortunately, some of the longer pieces in this collection are truncated, or appear only in a excerpted form. Beowulf and Gawain, though, seem to be complete.

[Mesoscope · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fine collection, admirably edited and smoothly presented with unobtrusive but usable footnotes and helpful introductory essays. I'm pleased by the inclusion of Seamus Heaney's rendering of Beowulf, and was delighted by the modern English translation of Sir Gawain and the Green Night.

Someday I'm going to pony up the resolve to plow through the Canterbury Tales, I just know it ....

[Peter E. Frangel · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Beowulf', 'The Canterbury Tales', 'Dream of the Rood', 'Sir Gawain and the Green Knight' and more. What else could you ask for? This is a wonderful introduction to Middle Age British literature, if you fancy such things or even just want to learn more about the period, and the foundation of how we write today.