A History of Old English Literature -- Copyright -- Contents -- Illustrations -- Preface to the First Edition (2003) -- Preface to the Second Edition -- Abbreviations -- Introduction Anglo-Saxon England and Its Literature: A Social History -- 1 Cultural Difference and Cultural Change -- 2 Gender and Authority -- 3 Effects of Conversion -- 4 Latinity of the Pre-Viking Age -- 5 Literacy and Learning in the Viking Age -- 6 The Nature of Old English Poetry -- Notes -- 1 The Chronology and Varieties of Old English Literature -- Notes -- 2 Anglo-Saxon Manuscripts -- 1 Introduction -- 2 The Production of Manuscripts -- 3 The Editing of Manuscripts -- 4 Aids to the Study of Manuscripts -- 5 Some Important Anglo-Saxon Manuscripts -- Notes -- 3 Literature of the Alfredian Period -- Notes -- 4 Homilies -- Notes -- 5 Saints' Legends -- 1 The Hagiographical Background -- 2 Legends of the Pre-Viking Age -- 3 Later Anglo-Latin Legends -- 4 Vernacular Prose Legends -- 5 Vernacular Verse Legends -- Notes -- 6 Biblical Literature -- Notes -- 7 Liturgical and Devotional Texts -- Notes -- 8 Legal Texts -- Notes -- 9 Scientific and Scholastic Texts -- 1 Scientific Texts -- 2 Texts for the Schoolroom -- Notes -- 10 Wisdom Literature and Lyric Poetry -- 1 Sententious Lore in Prose and Verse -- 2 Lyric Poetry -- Notes -- 11 Germanic Legend and Heroic Lay -- Notes -- 12 Additions, Annotations, and Marginalia -- 1 Texts and Contexts, Major and Marginal -- 2 Additions: Occasional Records and Notices, Especially in Gospelbooks -- 3 Colophons and Directions to Readers -- 4 Varia: Lore and Scribbles -- Notes -- Conclusion Making Old English New: Anglo-Saxonism and the Cultural Work of Old English Literature -- Notes -- Works Cited -- Index.