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The First Poems in English

AUTHOR Alexander, Michael; Alexander, Michael; Anonymous et al.
PUBLISHER Penguin Classics (08/01/2008)
PRODUCT TYPE Paperback (Paperback)

Description
A collection of the finest and earliest poems composed in English, from tales of battle to love songs

This selection of the earliest poems in English comprises works from an age in which verse was not written down, but recited aloud and remembered. Heroic poems celebrate courage, loyalty and strength, in excerpts from Beowulf and in The Battle of Brunanburgh, depicting King Athelstan's defeat of his northern enemies in 937 AD, while The Wanderer and The Seafarer reflect on exile, loss and destiny. The Gnomic Verses are proverbs on the natural order of life, and the Exeter Riddles are witty linguistic puzzles. Love elegies include emotional speeches from an abandoned wife and separated lovers, and devotional poems include a vision of Christ's cross in The Dream of the Rood, and Caedmon's Hymn, perhaps the oldest poem in English, speaking in praise of God.

For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

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Product Format
Product Details
ISBN-13: 9780140433784
ISBN-10: 0140433783
Binding: Paperback or Softback (Trade Paperback (Us))
Content Language: English
More Product Details
Page Count: 176
Carton Quantity: 104
Product Dimensions: 5.00 x 0.50 x 7.50 inches
Weight: 0.30 pound(s)
Feature Codes: Price on Product - Canadian, Price on Product, Table of Contents, Glossary
Country of Origin: GB
Subject Information
BISAC Categories
Poetry | European - English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh
Poetry | Ancient & Classical
Poetry | Medieval
Grade Level: College Freshman and up
Dewey Decimal: 829.100
Descriptions, Reviews, Etc.
publisher marketing
A collection of the finest and earliest poems composed in English, from tales of battle to love songs

This selection of the earliest poems in English comprises works from an age in which verse was not written down, but recited aloud and remembered. Heroic poems celebrate courage, loyalty and strength, in excerpts from Beowulf and in The Battle of Brunanburgh, depicting King Athelstan's defeat of his northern enemies in 937 AD, while The Wanderer and The Seafarer reflect on exile, loss and destiny. The Gnomic Verses are proverbs on the natural order of life, and the Exeter Riddles are witty linguistic puzzles. Love elegies include emotional speeches from an abandoned wife and separated lovers, and devotional poems include a vision of Christ's cross in The Dream of the Rood, and Caedmon's Hymn, perhaps the oldest poem in English, speaking in praise of God.

For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

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Editor: Alexander, Michael
Alexander was educated at Stowe, Sandhurst and Colditz. He has travelled extensively and adventurously in Asia and the Americas. He is founder of the Woburn Safari Service.
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Introduction by: Alexander, Michael
Alexander was educated at Stowe, Sandhurst and Colditz. He has travelled extensively and adventurously in Asia and the Americas. He is founder of the Woburn Safari Service.
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Paperback