TRACES OF ANGLO-SAXON LITERARY TRADITION IN MIDDLE ENGLISH LITERATURE

Abstract:

The continuity of Anglo-Saxon literary traditions in Middle English literature is examined in this article, with particular attention paid to thematic, linguistic, and stylistic characteristics that remained prevalent following the Norman Conquest in 1066. Many aspects of Anglo-Saxon culture, including Christian symbolism, alliteration, moral education, and heroism, persisted in English writing despite the influence of Norman French and Latin. The study shows how Middle English writers modified early English principles to fit new social and theological circumstances by analyzing classic works like Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Piers Plowman, and Beowulf. The study comes to the conclusion that Anglo-Saxon principles were not only passed down but also polished into a combination of indigenous and continental traditions in Middle English literature.