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William the Conqueror in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle: from Coronation to Death
https://doi.org/10.28995/2686-7249-2021-1-86-115
Abstract
The aim of the article is to analyse the prose and poetic annals of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle concerning William the Conqueror. In the annals for 1066 in the Abingdon, Peterborough and Worcester manuscripts, the success of William's invasion of the British Isles is viewed in the context of Harold God-winson's victory over the joint forces of the Norwegian King Haraldr har8ra8i and Tostig Godwinson. The compiler of the Parker Manuscript treats the conquest as a great national disaster by putting it in the context of other tragic events of the year. Only the Peterborough and the Worcester manuscripts for 1066 mention William's coronation, and both refer to it in the context of direst consequences for the conquered nation and the King's broken promises. The analysis of the themes, rhetorical devices and stylistic organisation of the prose annals of the Peterborough manuscript for 1087 enables the author of the article to argue that they must have been composed under the influence of the homiletic tradition, in particular Wulfstan's sermons. The study of the style and meter of the poem about William the Conqueror inserted in the Peterborough manuscript shows that its colloquial vocabulary, simplified syntax, ornamental alliteration and plain rhyme go back to a lower poetic tradition than that of indigenous Anglo-Saxon alliterative verse.
About the Author
I. G. MatyushinaRussian Federation
Inna G. Matyushina - Dr. of Sci. (Philology), Russian State University for the Humanities.
bld. 6, Miusskaya Square, Moscow, 125993.
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Supplementary files
For citation: Matyushina I.G. William the Conqueror in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle: from Coronation to Death. RSUH/RGGU Bulletin: “Literary Teory. Linguistics. Cultural Studies”, Series. 2021;(1):86-115. https://doi.org/10.28995/2686-7249-2021-1-86-115
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