BRETON LITERATURE

the body of writings in the Breton language of northern France. Both the Breton language and its literature may be divided into three periods: Old, Middle, and Modern. The remains of Old Breton written between the 8th and the 11th century consist entirely of names and glosses in documents. The earliest literary text in the Breton language, from the 15th century, is a dialogue between King Arthur and a seer called Guinclaff. Other texts in Middle Breton (11th17th century) are mainly religious in character. Modern Breton linguistically is said to begin in 1659, but this has little literary significance because many works of the Middle Breton type were written up to the 19th century. Much religious prose and poetry was published, but the bulk of Breton literature of the 17th and 18th centuries consisted of mystery and miracle plays. Interest in the Breton language revived in the early 19th century as a reaction against the French government's attempt to eradicate the regional language. Several authors of prose, poetry, and drama are maintaining the vitality of Breton literature in the 20th century.