Final answer:
Old English literature was scarce for about a hundred years after the Norman Conquest as Norman French became the language of the elite and Old English was demoted in status. Significant historical events, including Viking raids and the Norman rule, influenced the literary production in Old English.
Step-by-step explanation:
Literature written in Old English was scarcely found for approximately a century after the Norman Invasion in 1066. Following the Norman Conquest, the language of the new elite was Norman French, whereas Old English was relegated to a lower status. Major historical events such as Viking raids and the eventual Norman rule significantly affected the production and survival of literature in Old English. The Old English language primarily found its way into texts concerning church or legal matters with some of the poetry and prose from that era being lost or existing in fragmentary form due to various forms of cultural suppression or neglect. As a result, the period after the Norman Conquest saw a decline in written works in Old English until interests revived much later.