Also in the archives:  Overview  :  Alphabetical Index  :  Chronological Index

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• Middle Ages
• 16th Century
• Early 17th Century
• Restoration and the 18th Century
• Romantic Period
• Victorian Age
• 20th Century

Middle Ages

1. Beowulf
   Seamus Heaney on Beowulf and his verse translation
   1. "Prologue" from Beowulf (lines 1-98), anonymous, date unknown.
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      Credit: Read by Seamus Heaney on a BBC recording. Used courtesy of Faber & Faber and BBC.
      Cf. NAEL 1.32; MA 27.
   2. "The Fight with Grendel" from Beowulf (lines 710-823), anonymous, date unknown.
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      Credit: Read by Seamus Heaney on a BBC recording. Used courtesy of Faber & Faber and BBC.
      Cf. NAEL 1.47; MA 42.
   3. "The Last Survivor's Speech" from Beowulf (lines 2241b-70a), anonymous, date unknown.
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      Credit: Read by Seamus Heaney on a BBC recording. Used courtesy of Faber & Faber and BBC.
      Cf. NAEL 1.80; MA 75.
   4. "Beowulf's Funeral" from Beowulf (lines 3137-82), anonymous, date unknown.
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      Credit: Read by Seamus Heaney on a BBC recording. Used courtesy of Faber & Faber and BBC.
      Cf. NAEL 1.98; MA 93.
2. Caedmon's Hymn, anonymous, date unknown.
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   Credit: Read by J. B. Bessinger, Jr. From Beowulf and Other Poetry. Copyright © 1984 by HarperCollins Publishers, Inc. Used by arrangement with HarperCollins. Probably the earliest extant Old English poem, composed sometime between 658 and 680.
   Cf. NAEL 1.23.
3. "Birhtwold's Speech" from The Battle of Maldon, anonymous, date unknown.
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   Credit: Read by Robert Fulk, Indiana University.
   Cf. NAEL 1.10
4. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (lines 1-19), anonymous, date unknown.
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   Credit: Read by Marie Borroff, Yale University.
   Cf. NAEL 1.158; MA 119.
5. "The General Prologue" (lines 547-68) from The Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer, date unknown.
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   Credit: Read by Alfred David, Indiana University.
   Cf. NAEL 1.216; MA 191.
6. "The Miller's Prologue"from The Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer, date unknown.
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   Credit: Read by V. A. Kolve, University of California, Los Angeles.
   Cf. NAEL 1.236; MA 199.
7. "The Miller's Tale" (lines 163-98) from The Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer, date unknown.
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   Credit: Read by Alfred David, Indiana University.
   Cf. NAEL 1.239; MA 20
8. "The Man of Law's Epilogue" from The Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer, date unknown.
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   Credit: Read by V. A. Kolve, University of California, Los Angeles.
   Cf. NAEL 1.252; MA 21
9. "The Wife of Bath's Prologue" (lines 1-29) from The Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer, date unknown.
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   Credit: Read by Marie Borroff, Yale University.
   Cf. NAEL 1.253; MA 216.
10. "The Pardoner's Tale" (lines 428-61) from The Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer, date unknown.
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    Credit: Read by Alfred David, Indiana University. The three rioters meet an old man.
    Cf. NAEL 1.291; MA 254.
11. "The Nun's Priest's Tale" (lines 337-66) from The Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer, date unknown.
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    Credit: Read by Alfred David, Indiana University. Chauntecleer describes Pertelote's physical charms.
    Cf. NAEL 1.304; MA 267.
12. From Eight Old English Poems
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    1. Caedmon's Hymn - read by R. D. Fulk
    2. The Battle of Brunanburh - read by R. D. Fulk
    3. The Dream of the Rood - read by R. D. Fulk
    4. The Battle of Maldon - read by R. D. Fulk
    5. The Wanderer - read by R. D. Fulk
    6. The Seafarer - read by R. D. Fulk
    7. Deor - read by R. D. Fulk
    8. The Wife's Lament - read by Mary Blockley