The Linguistic Culture-4 (folklore and literature) (1157931)
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FOLKLORE AND LITERATUREThe studies of the British culture and therefore understanding of the nationalcharacter of the English cannot stand apart from the research of its importantproduct – folklore. The folklore and folk customs of England developed over along chain of centuries. Some ancient customs were passed from Celtic toGermanic generations and further. Invaders and settlers brought with them theirown beliefs, which mixed with older traditions.The main reason to uniqueness of British culture lies on the surface: Great Britainis an island populated by the nations that had to develop and go the long way of itshistory being separated from the rest of the world by water. These verycharacteristics turned them into very interesting and special people, whose historyand culture are one of the richest in the world.British folklore includes traditions, customs, beliefs and systems of values of themythology of the Anglo-Saxons, Welsh, Scottish and later Normans influence.The main system of values, beliefs and traditions of British nations is mostlyreflected in the ballads and fairy tales.Ballads are a fascinating subject of study.
These poems are among a group ofanonymous songs that were probably created between 1100 and 1700 in NorthernEngland and Scotland, although their origins are still controversial.The anonymous folk ballads were passed along orallyfrom a singer to a singer, from generation togeneration, and from one region to another. Themedieval or Elizabethan ballads that appear in printlater are probably only versions of many oral forms.It uses simple language, an economy of words, dramaticcontrasts, epithets, set phrases, and frequently arefrain. Although the subject matter variesconsiderably, some major classes of the ballad can bedistinguished— among them the historical and heroicsuch as Beowulf, King Arthur songs and Robin Hoodcycle.Beowulf is an Old English heroic epic poem of anonymousauthorship.
Its creation dates to between the 8th andthe 11th century. It is long, as there 3183 lines anddevoted to brave and strong hero who fought for thegood of his people, killing two monsters. The ballad has beenadapted a number of times in cinema, on the stage, andin books.Another oldest recorded ballads in the English language are Judas (the 13thcentury) and Arthurian legends. King Arthur is a legendaryBritish leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries,who, according to medieval histories and romances, ledthe defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in theearly 6th century. The details of Arthur's story aremainly composed of folklore and literary invention, andhis historical existence is debated and disputed bymodern historians.There is also the notion of Round Table associated with King Arthur.In Arthurian legend, King Arthur had a round table so that none of hisbarons, when seated at it, could claim precedence over the others.The literary importance of the Round Table, especially in romancesof the 13th century and afterward, lies in the fact that it served toprovide the knights of Arthur’s court with a name and a collectivepersonality.
The fellowship of the Round Table, in fact, becamecomparable to, and in many respects the prototype of, the manygreat orders of chivalry that were founded in Europe during the later Middle Ages.Another ballad printed in the late 15th or early 16th centuries is devoted to “RobynHood".Robin Hood (spelled Robyn Hode in older sources) is a heroic outlaw inEnglish folklore, and, according to legend, was also a highly skilled archer, assistedby a group of fellow outlaws known as his “Merry Men”.
Traditionally, Robin Hoodand his men are depicted wearing Lincoln green clothes and lived in Sherwoodforest.Robin Hood became a popular folk figure in the medieval period as the one whowas fighting with the unscrupulous sheriff. Robbing the rich he gave everything tothe poor. He continues to be widely represented in modern literature, films andtelevision.Thgere is one example of Robin Hood ballad translated into modern English:Robin Hood, Robin Hood, riding through the glenRobin Hood, Robin Hood, with his band of menFeared by the bad, loved by the goodRobin Hood, Robin Hood, Robin HoodHe called the greatest archers to a tavern on the greenThey vowed to help the people of the KingThey handled all the trouble on the English country sceneAnd still found plenty of time to singHe came to Sherwood Forest with a feather in his capA fighter never looking for a fightHis bow was always ready and he kept his arrows sharpHe used them to fight for what was rightSatirical ballads and Royalist ballads contributed to the 17th century politicaldiscourse.
In a sense, these ballads were antecedents of the modern newspaper.Thomas Percy, Robert Harley, Francis James Child,Walter Scott and JamesHogg were among early collectors and publishers of ballads from the oral traditionof broadsheets and previous anthologies. Professor Francis Child’s and CecilSharp’ Ballads are a collection of 305 ballads from England and Scotland, andtheir American variants, collected in the 19th century. The collection of Englishand Scottish Popular Ballads was published by Houghton Mifflin between 1882and 1898 in 10 volumes.The old ballads are a very valuable part of poetical literature. Their themes touchon almost all the subjects of human experience. Ballads are a rich source of dataconnected with history, social life, feelings and values of the people living on theBritish Isle.English Fairy Tales.The term ‘fairy tale’ appeared in the 18th century, as a translation from French.
Itis universally understood, but not in fact accurate, since many of the best-lovedstories have no fairies in them. So some scholars prefer the terms ‘Wonder Tales’or ‘Magic Tales’. Fairy tales with very similar plots, characters are found in manydifferent cultures and countries. Sometimes the influence of different tales on oneanother is quite obvious. Two theories have attempted to explain the commonelements in fairy tales. One is that fairy tales are the remains of ancient mythswhich lived over the centuries and spread over continents. The other is that suchfairy tales stem from common human experience and therefore can appearseparately in many different countries.The fairy tales circulated in England in oral form and like ballads many of themunfortunately have been lost to history.
One of the oldest printed fairy tales inEngland was Tom Thumb which appeared in 1621 in a chapbook. Tom Thumb isborn in answer to the wish of a childless poor couple, who desire a son even if hewere no bigger than his father’s thumb. Magician Merlin answers their wish andthe Fairy Queen names him and gives him a hat made of oak leaf and a shirt ofspider’s web.
Tom then encounters many adventures. The last of them is beingeaten by a fish which is then caught for King Arthur’s table; Tom becomes aknight and when he dies is mourned by the whole Arthur’s court.In 1711 there appeared the first printed version of Jack the Giant Killer, a popularEnglish folk tale.
The English fairytales were mostly humorous ones, except forthe more magical Three Heads in the Well. Later Victorian collectors found someother oral examples, including Tom Tit Tot and Cap o' Rushes from Suffolk, theSmall-Tooth Dog from Derbyshire, and the Rose Tree from Devon.In the 18th century English fairy tales were published mainly by French Perrault.Selections from these were quickly translated and cheaply printed. Such fairy talesas Cinderella, Bluebeard, Sleeping Beauty, Beauty and the Beast, Frog Prince,Red Riding Hood, Snow White, and The Little Mermaid were totally absorbedinto English culture, together with a few items from the Arabian Nights, notablyAladdin.TheaterBritain has a long tradition of theater.
It was introduced from Europe to England bythe Romans. By the medieval period theatre had developed a form of early streettheatre, concentrating on themes such as Saint George and the Dragon and RobinHood. These were folk tales re-telling old stories, and the actors travelled fromtown to town performing those for their audiences.The reign of Elizabeth I in the late 16th and early 17th century saw a flowering ofthe drama and all the arts. Perhaps the most famous playwright in the world,William Shakespeare, wrote around 40 plays that are still performed in theatresacross the world to this day.
They include tragedies, such as Hamlet (1603),Othello (1604), and King Lear (1605) Romeo and Juliet; comedies, such as AMidsummer Night's Dream (1594—96) and Twelfth Night (1602); and historyplays, such as Henry IV.The Elizabethan age is sometimes nicknamed "the age of Shakespeare" for theamount of influence he held over the era. Other important Elizabethan and 17thcentury playwrights include Ben Jonson, Christopher Marlowe, and JohnWebster.During the Revolution of 1642—1660, English theatres were kept closed by thePuritans for religious and ideological reasons.
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