What was the Norman Conquest of England?

Norman Conquest of England:

    The Norman Conquest of England in 1066 is an event of great significance in the life of Anglo-Saxon people and their literature. The Norman were races of Pagan Danes. They had affinity with the Anglo- Saxon. When the Danes became the masters of French province call Normandy and Saxons, they settled in the island. In 1066 William the duke of Normandy claimed the English crown on the death of King Edward the confessor. He invaded England with a large army. Harold, the English king, marched to the south of the country. He took up position on a hill about six miles from Hestings, where the Norman's found him. A battle took place which is known as Battle of Hastings. The Saxons army was destroyed. Norman archers killed their enemies including Harold Godwinson; the king himself. William became free to march to London and claimed himself as the king of England. This is how English suffered a defeat on the field of Hastings. 

William conqueror subjugated the whole England. William the second, his second son called William Rufus was like his father, a stubborn ruler unjust and greedy. He was hated by the people. He was followed by Henry-I the 3rd son of Conqueror. He was also a cruel king who kept his elder brother Robert, duke of Normandy in presion all his life. He endeared himself to the English to marry Matilda of Scotland who was a princess from the ancient king Wessex. This marriage brought the two races together.

    The Norman Conquest brought England more than a change of ruler. They brought with them literary ideas along with their laws and administration. Latin was the language of official document. The polite society wrote in Latin but spoke in French. The aristocrats were all Norman. As a result English language and literature suffered a setback after the battle of Maldon. English poetry particularly produced nothing about a century. However, with the growing of patriotism among the Anglo-Saxon, English language began to be used in official and national language. As a result a new language with a mixture of French vocabulary and grammatical rules began in England. As a result a new literature by the aristocrat Anglo-Norman came into focus. Two important ideals of French literature influenced the new English literature. These are Romance and allegoric. The middle English poetry began with the translation of French,

    Romance and allegory. There are four cycles of Romances. They are-

(a) The matter of French

(b) The matter of Rome

(c) The matter of Britain and

(d) The Romances of Saxon origin.

    Usually, love and war were the themes of these romances. The allegory delt with love and religion. For example, 'Roman Delarose' written by Guillame-de-Lorris is an allegorical piece of writing. There were also some tables which delt with the follies and vices of the society.

    Apart from poetry Middle English prose was inconsiderable. Its purpose was moralistic. Middle English prose was also a translation of French works. It points out the gradual development of English language. The Ancrene Riwle or The Rule of Anchoresses or The Ladies Who Had Taken to Religious Life is an important prose of English. Another book Ayenbite of Inwyt or The Remorse of Conscience is another work of French translation.