Formation of the English People

Pre-Celtic

• Paleolithic.– Attached to continent.– Inhabited by stunted Paleolithic

man.• Neolithic.

– Centuries passed.– England is an island.– Swarthy-complexioned Neolithic

man.

CeltsTwo Main Branches

• Goidels (Gaels).– Found in the west and in the north.– Influenced by aboriginal tribes.– Survive in Ireland and Scotland.

• Brythons ( Britons or Cymri).– Southeast.– Survive in Wales and Cornwall.

CeltsReligionDruidism.

• Hierarchy of pagan gods like the Greeks and the Romans.

• Many local gods.• Human sacrifice.• Transmigration of souls.• Sanctified the oak.

CeltsEnglish Literature

• Contributed fewer than a dozen words to the language.– Bin(basket), dun (color), Avon, and Kent.

• The lais – lyrics or short verse romances.• Mabinogion – compilation of Welch tales.

Roman Conquest

• B.C. 55-54 two invasions by Julius Caesar.• A.D. 43-48 invasion by Aulus Plautius under

Claudius.– South of Avon.– Several successful governors.

• A.D. 401-410 Romans gradually left to protect Rome. Honorius renounced Rome’s control over Britain.

RomanEnglish Literature

• Small number of Latin words.– E.G. Mile, street and the suffix –caster, -

chester, and –wich, or –wick.• Contributed very little to the literature.

Anglo-Saxon ConquestInvasions

• A.D. 449 withdraw of the Romans left the Celts prey to barbarians. – Jutes, Saxons, and Angles (three Teutonic

tribes) invaded. The latter two recognized the helplessness of the Britons and took possession of surrounding land.

– Celts were absorbed exterminated or driven to the north and the west.

Anglo-Saxon ConquestLanguage

• At first called Englisc.– Derived from the Angles, mixed with the

Norman or Saxon, and finally Anglo-Saxon.– Low-German, west-Germanic, indo-European

language. (Old Frisian or low German nearest relatives.).

Anglo-Saxon ConquestLanguage

• Four dialects.– Kentish counties of Kent

(Jute).– West Saxon remaining areas

around the Thames.– Mercian or midland between

the Thames and Humber.– Northumbrian north of

Humber into Scotland.

Anglo-Saxon ConquestLanguage

• N.B. While most of the literature is derived from west Saxon, the most important dialect is Mercian the dialect from which modern English is derived.

Anglo-Saxon ConquestReligion {Polytheism}

• Chief gods include Woden, Thor, Loki, Tiw (or Tiu).– Some names remain in days of

the week: e.g. Tuesday (Tiu’s day), Wednesday (Woden’s day), Thursday (Thor’s day).

• Dread goddesses Wyrd and Fate Shakespeare’s “Weird Sisters.”

Anglo-Saxon ConquestAdvent of Christianity

• Christianity introduced by the Romans was almost completely wiped out. Carried to Ireland (St. Patrick c. 432 – 461) A number of later missionaries including Aiden (North Anglican, and (sent by Pope Gregory) Augustine (Kent and Canterbury).

Anglo-Saxon ConquestAdvent of Christianity

• Celtic and Roman versions of Christianity differed. Synod of Whitby(664) sided with the Romans and England was under papal control until Henry VIII.

• Re-introduction of Christianity played a large role in the language and literature not only buy introducing ecclesiastical terms but by joining England with a richer culture providing haven for literary compositions as well as the copying of manuscripts.

Anglo-Saxon ConquestEnglish Literature

• Vital contribution to the language.

• Vocabulary pertains to the everyday function of man.

• Essential to sentence construction.

• Vital contribution to literature.

Anglo-Saxon Characteristics

• Stern, barbarous life. Subjected by nature to rude turmoil.

• Mixture of savagery, sentiment, and nobility.

• Religious feeling; fatalism and instinct.• Responsiveness to nature. Love of the sea.

Anglo-Saxon Characteristics

• Common sense, power of endurance, and seriousness of thought as opposed to elfish mockery, ironic introspection, emotional temperament, bold imagination, sensitive nature, rainbow fancy, and violent but mercurial feelings of the Celts.

N.B. The Anglo-Saxons, the Celts, and the Normans combine to create the three branches of British Literature.

Anglo-Saxon Ideals

• Love of glory is the ruling motivation of every noble life.

• Allegiance to lord or king is the social virtue most extolled.

• Reverence for womanhood.• Love of personal freedom.(did not conflict

with the fidelity to thane or lord – even unto death).

Anglo-Saxon Ideals

• Open-handed hospitality to thane or lord.

• Honoring of truth.• Repression of

sentiment.

Graveney Boat

• The sea.– Water-street,

swan-road, and whale-path.

• The Ship.– Foamy-neck

floater, wave-skimmer, and sea-stallion.