Foundations of English Prose: Ælfric & Wulfstan

            Overview: While Alfred established English prose for secular and educational purposes, Ælfric and Wulfstan developed it into a sophisticated medium for religious instruction and oratory during the late Old English period.
        

1. Ælfric (955–1020)

Known as "the Grammarian," Ælfric was the Abbot of Eynsham and is considered the greatest prose writer of his age. He aimed to make Christian learning accessible to unlearned clergy and laypeople.

Title: Abbot of Eynsham.
Works: Authored numerous Homilies, Lives of Saints, and translations of the first seven books of the Bible (the Heptateuch).
Style: His prose style is noted for being flowing, vigorous, and highly alliterative.

🎯 Exam Point: Ælfric is famous for his "alliterative prose" which blended clarity with the rhythmic force of Old English poetry, giving his sermons a unique musicality.

2. Wulfstan (d. 1023)

Wulfstan was the Archbishop of York (1003–1023) and a powerful statesman. Unlike Ælfric’s calm instructional tone, Wulfstan’s style was fiery and political.

Role: Powerful Archbishop of York and influential writer/lawmaker.
Major Work: Authored over 50 homilies, the most famous being the Sermo Lupi ad Anglos (Sermon of the Wolf to the English, 1014).
Themes: He attributed the Viking invasions to the moral decay of the English people.

🎯 Exam Point: Wulfstan’s style is described as "thunderous" and authoritative. His Sermo Lupi ad Anglos is a crucial text for understanding the social turmoil of late Anglo-Saxon England.