Origins of the Welsh literature

Question 1

When did Welsh literature begin?

Answer 1

6th century

Question 2

Two essential features of the Welsh literature:

Answer 2

antiquity (same themes throught times),
central theme of praise

Question 3

Explain antiquity as the main feature of Welsh lit.

Answer 3

Same themes throughout times

(antiquity)

Question 4

Explain central theme of praise as the main feature of Welsh lit.

Answer 4

Continuity of the central theme of prase & glorifying

later on also in Anglo-Saxon poetry

(central theme of praise)

Question 5

Often repeated names in Welsh literature

Answer 5

Angharad, Rhiannon

Question 6

“Hengerdd” is composed of two words:

Answer 6

Hen - old
Cerdd - song/poem

Question 7

Welsh lit. is one of the oldest vernacular lits. in Europe

Explain the term vernacular

Answer 7

Vernacular -in the language that is native to the region, rather spoken than written, the term usually describes local languages, dialects (distinct from the “standard” lg)

Basically vernacular = local language

Question 8

Bardic tradition:

Answer 8

-ancient
-common to the Celtic ppl
-incorporating Indo-European elements

Question 9

Two greatest poets in Welsh lit:

Answer 9

Talesin (king’s poet)

Aneirin (younger, warriors’ poet)

Question 10

Earliest Welsh literature:

Answer 10

Early heroic poetry (epic tales)

Question 11

Two stages of the early heroic poetry:

Answer 11

Heroic age, The Old North

Question 12

When did the heroic age take place?

Answer 12

In the post-Roman Britain
(400-650 AD), max 1000

Question 13

The heroic age also includes:

Answer 13

The Age of saints (where most important Irish & Welsh stories of saints were written down)

Question 14

What caused the decline of heroic literature?

Answer 14

The decline began in the 7 th century -Celts were constantly being defeated by Sexons (nothing to boast about)

Question 15

What came after the Heroic age?

Answer 15

The Old North (Yr Hen Ogledd)

Question 16

Characterise the Old North

Answer 16

-earliest Welsh poetry linguistically (not geographically)
-The Old North = Cumbria = the lake district

Question 17

Kingdoms in the Old North:

Answer 17

-Gododdin (centre at Edinburgh)
-Rheged (Solway estuary)
-Strathclyde = Ystrad Clud (Clyde estuary)

Question 18

Which Old North kingdom survived the longest?

Answer 18

Strathclyde (Ystrad Clud)
-Clyde estetuary

Question 19

Explain Cumbric

Answer 19

Cumbric was closely related ot Welsh, died out in the 12 th century

Question 20

Heroic poetry is also called…

Answer 20

Praise poetry

Question 21

What’s a panegyric?

Answer 21

Panegyric is a formal public speech (later written verse) of high praise, highly studied. Only by educated people, hard to write

Question 22

What’s an eulogy?

Answer 22

Eulogy is a speech/writing in praise of a person/thing especially after one’s death (nowadays: funeral services). They can also praise a living person (on birthdays etc.), could have criticisms (+funny remarks)

Question 23

What’s an elegy?

Answer 23

Elegies are written in tribute to the dead, cannot be in any way critical

Question 24

Elegy in Welsh:

Answer 24

Marwnad

Marw - dead

Question 25

Difference in between eulogy and elegy

Answer 25

**Euology** can praise a living person and be slightly critical. **Elegy** is only about dead people +nice:)

Question 26

Who came first, Talesin or Aneirin?

Answer 26

Talesin

Question 27

Where were both Talesin & Aneirin named? (book)

Answer 27

Nennius' "Historia Brittonum"

Question 28

When did Talesin flourish?

Answer 28

late 6th century

Question 29

Dzieła powiązane z Taliesinem (3):

Answer 29

-"**Llyfr Taliesin**" (the book of..) -"**Canu Taliesin**" (poem) -"**Hanes Taliesin**" (history of..)

Question 30

What was Llyfr Taliesin?

Answer 30

**Llyfr Taliesin** brings together all his poems (12), it was passed down for 8 centuries (written in 14th.c.) Also includes other various poems (*manuskrypt*) | (The book of Taliesin)

Question 31

What was Canu Taliesin?

Answer 31

It was preserved in the Llyfr Taliesin (14th c.), 12 poems of the late 6th century: A Panegyric to a king of Powys

Question 32

What was Hanes Taliesin?

Answer 32

Opowiadanie mitologiczne (not the same guy) -shows Taliesin more as like a magician, not a poet: highly mythological, reincarnation, he's the son of a goddess, prophet etc. Written 9/10 c.

Question 33

Who was the ideal ruler in Taliesin's poetry?

Answer 33

Urien (of) Rheged

Question 34

Taliesin's poetry: The ideal is two-fold in a leader...

Answer 34

A leader must become balanced between ferocity (leading warriors & winning) and generosity towards his people

Question 35

What was the principal function of the court poet?

Answer 35

To compose an elegy (marwnad) on the death of his lord -"Death song of Owen ab Urien" -Taliesin

Question 36

Mnemotechnic means........

Answer 36

Repetition of the same constonants, makes it easier to repeat & remember, rhymes

Question 37

Alliteration -meaning:

Answer 37

Repeating the same sound at the beginning of several words in close successions (assonance / consonance)

Question 38

Cechy poezji Taliesina:

Answer 38

-poems are short, concision of style, taut phraseology -no plot (only discriptions), visual details, kind of like a war report -internal & external rhyme

Question 39

When did Aneirin (Neirin) flourish?

Answer 39

Latter part of the 6th century (younger than Taliesin)

Question 40

What differenciates Taliesin's & Aneirin's subject topics?

Answer 40

Taliesin wrote about a king/kings Aneirin wrote about warriors

Question 41

Aneirin's poem:

Answer 41

Y Gododdin

Question 42

Where is Y Gogoggin preserved?

Answer 42

In the Book of Aneirin (Llywr Aneirin) -c. 1265

Question 43

Describe Y Gododdin by Aneirin:

Answer 43

loose form, 1000 lines, short rhyming stanzas (zwrotki) -each one is a seperate unit, shifting perspectives of the same battle, no proper story, inner & end rhyme

Question 44

How do we call early poets in Welsh literature?

Answer 44

Cynfeirdd | cyn -before, beirdd - bard

Question 45

What happened in the 8th century?

Answer 45

No Welsh literature -nothing to boast about (no heroic poetry found)

Question 46

Canu Taliesin is a part of...

Answer 46

Llyfr Taliesin

Question 47

Cynghanned

Answer 47

Harmony, sound-chiming within a verse, alliteration, fully developed in the 12th century

Question 48

Taliesin's panagyric:

Answer 48

"Urien Yrechwydd"

Question 49

Explain "Urien Yrechwydd" by Taliesin

Answer 49

A panagyric, about the Urien of Rheged, king of kings, pagan elements, though Urien is Christian

Question 50

Taliesin's elegy:

Answer 50

"Marwnad Owain"

Question 51

Explain "Marwnad Owain":

Answer 51

Elegy of Owain (Urien's son), great warrior, invoction to God, English are worthy opponents (unusual)

Question 52

Two Taliesin's poems that escribe battles:

Answer 52

Gwaith Argoed Llyfain, Gwaith Gwen Ystrad

Question 53

Pan-Celtic idea is...

Answer 53

The idea that all Celts should come together against the English

Question 54

What did Aneirin write?

Answer 54

"Y Gododdin"

Question 55

What was "Gododdin"?

Answer 55

Tribe, kingdom and the battle that took place there

Question 56

Explain "Y Gododdin" by Aneirin:

Answer 56

Describes a battle (probably Edinburgh), feast, mead, fight until victory or death, HEROIC POETRY, praise elements

Question 57

"Armes Prydein Vawr" -explain:

Answer 57

annonymous, but included in Llyfr Taliesin, 10th century, political propaganda, prophecy poem

Question 58

"Edmyg Dinbych" -explain:

Answer 58

annonymous, but included in Llyfr Taliesin, mentions magical manuscripts

Question 59

"Pais Dynogad" -explain:

Answer 59

a lullaby sung by Dynogad's mom

Question 60

What were the old bards called?

Answer 60

Cynfeirdd

Question 61

Name a panagyric:

Answer 61

Taliesin's "Urien Yrechwydd"

Question 62

Name an elegy:

Answer 62

Taliesin's "Marwnad Owain"