English Language and English Literature grew from time to time along with Christianity. Christianity came about 600 A.D.. Catholicism spread through the north of Britain by Irish monks who gave the light of the Gospel and secular learning to every part of the world. The ones who were converted are: Oswald, king of Northumbria and a lot of Anglo-Saxons.
King Oswald of Northumbria was converted by St. Columbus, an Irish poet, scholar, statesman, ruler, and a saint. He attended Columba’s school and brought back Aiden to establish a si milar school at Lindisfarne. In this school it became a fountain of culture and learning for Northern England. St. Augustine, sent by Pope Gregory the Great, with his fellow missionaries at Kent in 597 converted many people who worshiped pagan idols, but didn’t successfully converted all because they returned back to their former worship to Odin and Thor.
In 18th century, Christian missioners brought Anglo saxons into contact with the literature of Greece and Rome. Theodore from distant Tarsus and Hadrian from Africa, set up school to preach and teach everywhere about their knowledge of Greek and latin as well as devine literature. Monasteries are famous for their foundation of knowledge of literature and arts. In the monasteries, libraries were built. The monks created liturgical chant and poetry.
A native Anglo-Saxon, Saint Bede, won the title of Venerable. He wrote almost 100 books, and among them is his best book called, Ecclesiastical History of England. Saint Bede is one of the greatest scholars of all time.
Alfred, another one of the greatest scholars of all time, together with his scholars, translated many books from Latin into Anglo-Saxon. He chosed 4 outstanding works of the previous century: Orosius’ History of the World, Boethius’ Consolations of Philosophy, Bede’s Ecclesiastical History of England, and Pope Gregory’s Pastoral Care.
Anglo-Saxons had an amzing poetic...