MIXED BAG

  By PragyanSharma Polavarapu (1)NORMAN CONQUEST OF ENGLAND In a long period of 500-600 years after the historic Norman conquest, England --living under Anglo-Saxon kings in a rural oriented old world rural atmosphere-- underwent a great change . Though separated by the sea from the continent it was now becoming fully a part of European cultural, religious and political changes . England was linked to European royal families by marriage alliances. England was growing agriculturally prosperous and was becoming one of the central players in west European politics . England right from Anglo-Saxon times was an active seafaring nation with its ships protecting the coasts from Viking and Norwegian pirates. The Celtic people dominated areas of Ireland Scotland and Wales and were somewhat aloof and backward. The Norman Conquest of England in 1066 was a great turning point in history of England. The continental Norman French culture was brought to England. Anglo-Saxon royal fa...

By PragyanSharma Polavarapu (A) INTRODUCTION In some old classical English books we see a strict serious style (Shakespeare, Milton, Dryden etc ) and in some an entirely different flowing simple styles ( Wordsworth, Shelley, Keats,R.L.stevenson,Jane Austen etc) . There are surely thousands of outstanding writers during last 300-400 years. To understand the big transformations that occurred perhaps over a period of 1000 years to create modern English, we should take again a quick look at history. (a) From times of Norman Conquest (1066) of England large number of French words crept into English language. The political landscape of the British Isles transformed in a big way. William the Conqueror (1028-1087) replaced the Anglo-Saxon aristocracy with Norman-French aristocracy and redistributed most land to the Norman warlords . A new French-Norman culture appeared in the English royal court . Norman rule existed in England for about 450 years and their traditions ...

 By PragyanSharma Polavarapu EXT9-OLD ENCLAND-ANCIENT CHRISTIANITY-KING ALFRED THE GREAT January 04, 2026 (1) The life of people of British isles since ancient times had always been influenced by oceanic climate, the land being at the eastern edge of the vast Atlantic ocean which spreads 3000 miles up to shores of USA. The weather is influenced by the warm oceanic currents. The often rainy drizzling type weather and the greenery (forests and low hills in the south, forests and mountains and foggy weather in north) appear to make British Isles quite a picturesque place. A genuine love for nature—clearly visible in the descriptions of the greenery and forests, low hills and valleys and the once quiet and once gusty the seaside environment –pervade English literature from old to new times . “What is this life if, full of care, We have no time to stand and stare. No time to stand beneath the boughs And stare as long as sheep or cows. No time to see, when woods we pass,...