Caedmon

CAEDMON (fl. AD 670 - 680)

Prior to the 7th century, Anglo-Saxon poetry had been oral, but with conversion to Christianity a written literature began to develop. Caedmon is the earliest English Christian poet and the first English poet we know by name. According to Bede, Caedmon was an elderly herdsman who joined the monastery of Whitby during the rule of the Abbess Hild after receiving the gift of song in a vision. Bede ascribes to Caedmon a body of verse on biblical topics: 'Thus sang he of the creation of the world, and the beginning of the race of men, and all the history of Genesis... also the terrors of the future judgment and the horrors of hell-punishment and the sweetness of the heavenly kingdom.' This short nine-line 'Hymn of Creation' quoted by Bede is the only work that is nowadays certainly credited to Caedmon. Bede states: 'Others after him attempted to compose religious poems [but] none could ever compare with him because he did not learn the art of poetry from men but from God.' Caedmon had founded a tradition, nevertheless, by presenting a Christian theme in the diction and style of Germanic poetry.

A memorial cross to Caedmon was erected near Whitby in 1892.

Myers Literary Guide:	The North-East
CAEDMON (fl. AD 670 - 680) Prior to the 7th century, Anglo-Saxon poetry had been oral, but with conversion to Christianity a written literature began to develop. Caedmon is the earliest English Christian poet and the first English poet we know by name. According to Bede, Caedmon was an elderly herdsman who joined the monastery of Whitby during the rule of the Abbess Hild after receiving the gift of song in a vision. Bede ascribes to Caedmon a body of verse on biblical topics: 'Thus sang he of the creation of the world, and the beginning of the race of men, and all the history of Genesis... also the terrors of the future judgment and the horrors of hell-punishment and the sweetness of the heavenly kingdom.' This short nine-line 'Hymn of Creation' quoted by Bede is the only work that is nowadays certainly credited to Caedmon. Bede states: 'Others after him attempted to compose religious poems [but] none could ever compare with him because he did not learn the art of poetry from men but from God.' Caedmon had founded a tradition, nevertheless, by presenting a Christian theme in the diction and style of Germanic poetry. A memorial cross to Caedmon was erected near Whitby in 1892.
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