Layamon's Brut (eBook)

Active 1200 Layamon, also known as Lawman, was a seminal figure in early Middle English literature. A priest at Areley Kings in Worcestershire, his work reflects a transition between Old English and Middle English literary traditions. Layamon's most distinguished contribution to English letters is 'Layamon's Brut', a sprawling 16,000-line chronicle of Britain that is a remake of Wace's 'Roman de Brut'. This work, also referred to simply as 'Brut' after Britain's legendary founder Brutus, draws on the history of Britain from its founding myth through the death of King Arthur. Written in a distinctive blend of Old and Middle English, the poem showcases a unique blend of alliteration and rhymed couplets. Layamon's prose was notably interspersed with a rich variety of vocabulary, including terms of Old English and Old Norse origin, which attests to the linguistic richness of England at the turn of the 13th century. Layamon's literary style indicates a conscious bridging of the historical and literary tradition of the Anglo-Saxons with newer Norman influences, capturing a transformational period in English history. He stands as an important precursor to later English writers, paving the way for the diversification of literary style and language in English poetry. 'Layamon's Brut' remains a critical text for scholars interested in the evolution of English literature and the interplay between oral and written traditions in the medieval period.