2026/05/08 by Robert L. Gallagher · 1 voice
Arts and Humanities · Social Sciences · #Historical, Literary, and Cultural Studies #Literacy #Medieval Literature and History #Middle Ages #Multicultural Socio-Legal Studies #Period (music) #Politics #Word (group theory)
paper · doi:10.1017/9781009628853
openalex created_date 2026/05/08 · openalex publication_date 2026/05/08 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/27
This book presents an innovative, holistic examination of the uses of the written word in early medieval England during a century of political and societal upheaval, culminating in the emergence of the kingdom of the Anglo-Saxons under Alfred the Great and his children, Æthelflæd and Edward the Elder. Through a diverse range of documentary, literary and material evidence, Robert Gallagher explains how literary activity during this period – particularly involving members of the laity – has often been underestimated. He focuses on several innovations in documentary culture that took place in the mid-ninth century, which in turn played a significant role in establishing the cultural conditions for Alfredian cultural renewal. The evidence makes clear that limited personal literacy did not pose a barrier to participation in literary activity. This study thus makes a major new contribution to our understanding of England's ninth- and tenth-century history.