DEVELOPMENT OF BRITISH PROSE
Renaissance and the Rise of English Prose
It was during the Renaissance that the English prose came out of the shadow of Latin and created an identity of its own. Both fiction and non-fiction prose flourished which foreshadowed the rise of prose as the most popular medium for literature in the following centuries.
Old English and Middle English Prose
In Old English period and Middle English period, prose was immature in nature. Anglo-Saxon prose is of much later origin than poetry and is rather poor in quality and quantity. The prose of Anglo-Saxon poetry was simple and straight, unlike the style of Old English poetry.
King Alfred – The Father of English Prose
King Alfred is justly claimed to be the “Father of English Prose.” He was the ruler of Wessex and was a patron of learning during the Old English period. He stated that he had begun the translation of Latin works in English due to the lamentable state of English. Even the knowledge of Latin was declining due to the raids by Danish, who destroyed many monasteries and learning centres of England. The five important translations were: Pastoral Care of Pope Gregory (first), History of the World of Orosius, Boethius’ Consolation of Philosophy, Bede’s Ecclesiastical History, and Soliloquy of St. Augustine (last).
Wulfstan and Aelfric
Wulfstan was the abbot of Winchester, who composed the Catholic Homilies and Lives of the Saints. He is also known for his translations from scriptures and his Colloquy, that is a dialogue between master and pupil.
Aelfric was another bishop of Old English period whose most famous work is Sermo Lupi Ad Anglas.
Before Chaucer
During the time before Chaucer,Prose was not still developed as poetry. The notable works of this period are The Ancrene Riwle and The Azorobite of Inuyt. The Ancrene Riwle was a manual designed for three ladies who had become anchoresses. The main characteristic of this work is his broad humanity. The Azorobite of Inuyt which is a translation of a French work by Dan Michel in 1340.
The Age of Chaucer
During the Age of Chaucer, prose was nascent and was taking a form slowly in this period. The prose writers of the time who claim some attention are Sir John Mandeville, John Wyclif and Thomas Malory. John Mandeville compiled and published a French book called Travels between 1357 and 1371. It focuses on the narration of several places. It is full of incredible descriptions and anecdotes which are set down with delightful faith and eagerness. It is now demonstrated that this so called work Travels has been taken from several popular books of voyages like that of Marco Polo and Frier Odoric of an Armenian.
Wyclif wrote many Latin book to represent his revolutionary opinions. He issued a large number of tracts and pamphlets. Thomas Malory is known for his work ‘Morte d’Arthur’. The French Asthurian romance has been taken to compile this prose work and that includes the essence of chivalry and romance.
The Age of Revival
The Age of Revival also bore some of the prose writers like Reginald Pecock, William Caxton, John Fisher, and Sir Thomas Moore.
Reginald Pecock two works were The Repressor of Over-much Blaming of the clergy and The Book Of Faith. In his dogma, he strongly supported the ancient usage of church. William Caxton was the First English printer who introduced printing first in England in 1476. The first book printed in England was The Dicts and Sayings of The Philosophers. Fisher wrote much in Latin and in English, he wrote small tracts of sermons and a longer treatise on the Psalms. Hugh Latimer’s work consists of two volumes of sermons, they are remarkable for their plain and assertive exposition. Sir Thomas Moore, was the foremost Renaissance Humanist in England. His influential work was Utopia which focuses on issues like state-controlled education, religious pluralism and women’s rights.
Prose in the Renaissance
During Renaissance the prose started to develop and reach a huge success. The most influential prose work was King James’s Bible or The Authorized Version of 1611. Francis Bacon is mainly known for his Essays in English that first appeared in 1597, where they were ten in number; thirty-eight and fifty-eight in second and third edition. They were based on works such as learning, studies, using. Roger Ascham, was the representative of the earliest school of Elizabethan school. He is notable for his Toxophilus that is a dialogue on archery.
and the schoolmaster. That was an educational work. John Lyly was one of the University wit who studied in Oxford. His first prose work was Euphues and The Anatomy of wit and Euphues and his England was his second prose work.
Richard Hooker is famous for his prose work Of the Laws of Ecclesiastical Polity. In the work he supports Episcopacy against Presbyterianism. Sir Thomas Overbury is known for his work Characters (1614). It is based on the ancient Greek text Theophrastus. The book consists of a number of precise character sketches such as milkmaid, pedant and traveller. They show a close and penetrating observation and it is full of conceits and wits. Robert Burton was famous for his work The Anatomy of Melancholy that was first issued in 1621. It is an elaborate work on melancholy, species and its kinds.
There were some sermon writers during Elizabethan period. James Usher and James Hall were two sermon writers of this period. The Chronologia sacra and Virgidemiarum are their respective works. There emerged a large number of translations during this period along with pamphlets production. Thomas Nash, Thomas Lodge and Robert Greene were the pamphleteers of that period.
The Age of Milton
During the Age of Milton, Sir Thomas Browne, Edward Hyde, Thomas Hobbes, Jeremy Taylor and Thomas Fuller were the prominent prose writers of this period. The care of Milton’s prose writing is peculiar. He was a poet in essence. From 1639 to 1660 he was engaged in writing pamphlets for church and government.
Sir Thomas Browne composed five books which are small in size and are of great and uniform merits. Religio Medici is a confession of faith. Vulgar Errors, Hydriophia, Urne Burial is considered his masterpiece. The Garden of Cyrus is a treatise on quincunx and Christian Morals published after his death. Thomas Hobbes is known for his work Leviathan which expound his political theories.
Edward Hyde’s great work was The History of Rebellion and Civil War in England. Jeremy Taylor’s popular works in addition to sermons were The Liberty of Prophesying, Holy Living and Holy Dying. Thomas Fuller’s serious works include The History of The Holy War and The Church History of Britain. Among his pamphlets are Good Thoughts in Bad Times and An Alarum to the Countries of England and Wales. The work that has given him his reputation is The Worthies of England.
The Age of Dryden
The Age of Dryden includes the work of Bunyan, Lord Halifax, William Temple, John Tillotson and The Diarish. John Bunyan, celebrated English minister and preacher, is the author The Pilgrim’s Progress (1678). The book that was the most characteristic expression of the Puritan religious outlook, a spiritual autobiography. Grace Abounding (1666) and The Holy War (1682) are also his works.
Halifax was an outstanding figure in the House of Lords during the Exclusion of Bills. He ranks high as an orator, as an author, his fame rests on a
small volume Miscellanies. The book contains a number of tracts such as the Character of a Trimmer and Advice to a Daughter.
William Temple was a politician during his life where his chief works were Letters (published in 1700 and 1703), Memoirs and Miscellanies, a series of essay on a variety of subjects. Mention should be made of the two famous diarists John Evelyn and Samuel Pepys. Evelyn wrote on various subjects like gardening, fashions and engraving etc. A much superior writer was Pepys. He wrote his diary in a kind of code language to be deciphered by himself alone.