THE ANGLO-SAXON PERIOD
449-1066 AD
The Anglo-Saxon Period449-1066 AD
The island we now call Britain was home to the Celtic people. In 449, they were being invaded by Scottish and Irish tribes and could not fight them off.
The Celts asked for help from the Angles, Saxons, and the Jutes(from Denmark) , who were Germanic tribes. Instead of helping, they invaded and took over the island for themselves, and called it “Angle-land.”
AnglesSaxons
Jutes
Celts
So, English history and literature begins in 449 AD.
English Language
During this time, the English language was growing. The Celtic language merged with the Anglo-Saxon language. Some words added by A-S: to, and, for, man, wife, child,
drink, eat, sleep, T, W, R, F. When Christian missionaries started coming to England
around 600 AD, they brought words such as: altar, monk, preach, school, anthem, rule, candle, offer, hymn
From 787-1000 AD, Vikings came to the island with words such as: lift, take, give, live, husband, sky, trust, rotten
When the Normans invaded and conquered the Anglo-Saxons, they brought 10,000 words like: action, adventure, marriage, power, vision, rage, honest
Christianity of the A-S
In 596, missionaries came & attempted to convert them to Christianity. By 650, most A-S were Christians in name anyway-even though they still held on to some of their pagan traditions.
More Invasions
Danish invasions: during the 700 and 800s, the Danes and the Normans began attacking the island of Britain and almost won until Alfred the Great, a Saxon, fought back and won the country back-and there was peace-for a while
End of the Anglo-Saxon Period
When Alfred’s grandson Edward died in 1066, there was an argument over the throne. The Duke of Normandy claimed the throne, but the English chose Harold II. The Duke retaliated by attacking and defeating the A-S at the Battle of Hastings.
So, the A-S period ended in 1066 when the Normans won the Battle of Hastings and the Duke- William the Conqueror was the new King.
Social Order
Based on warrior bonds-they bonded together under a strong leader.
Heroic groups; rural and tribalCore of culture was comitatus relationship-warrior bond for
each other and their leader. Tribes engaged in blood feuding constantly.
WER GELD= “man price,” absolute obligation to avenge a fellow warrior’s death (like gangs).
Loyalty: fight to death to protect and/or avenge; obligation to King and warrior.
After battles, there was a strict payment of treasure.Chief selected for loyalty, generosity, strength, and courage.
All {social} events began and ended at Mead Hall Mead: Fermented beverages
made from honey (Think of beer made from honey)
The hall was built by the local lord or king for the entertainment of the Thanes Thanes: warriors and soldiers
loyal to the local lord or king
Anglo Saxons & Mead Hall
Anglo-Saxon Literature
All literature was oral (spoken), not written, because there was no real written language yet.
Literature & history was passed down by scops, people in each tribe who composed stories and songs about the tribe and its heroes. The stories were passed down from generation to generation. He told the stories every night after supper.
Why were the scops important?
Anglo-Saxon harp
• warriors gained immortality through songs
•The literature of the Anglo-Saxons was handed down orally by scops who sang in the lords’ mead halls, where warriors gathered to celebrate the events of the day. These scops, like the Greek poets before them, remembered their stories by using accentual meter and many stock phrases called kennings.
BeowulfWas composed around
700 ADAuthor was unknown- it is
known the poet was a Christian, aristocrat, & professional (by language)
Poet composed it in his head & performed it.
Poem was not written down for about 250 years.
Epic Poem, Hero
An epic poem-long narrative poem about a national hero who has the virtues and qualities his society values. Epic poems are fiction with some fact put in.
Epic Hero- courageous, resourceful, loyal, generous, willing to avenge wrongs, gentle, brave, strong, loves beauty, has deep feelings, able to express feelings.
Characteristics of an Epic
Major characters deliver long, formal speeches.The hero performs courageous, sometimes
superhuman deeds.The poem includes universal themes such as
good/evil and life/death.The setting is vast in scope, often involving
more than one nation.The hero, generally male, is of noble birth or
high position.Hero characteristics reflect important ideals of
his society.The plot is complicated by supernatural beings
or events and may involve a long and dangerous journey to a foreign land.
• Is the first great work of English national literature.
• Is the epic story of the hero Beowulf, who fights the demonic monster Grendel.
Beowulf
BeowulfIntroducing the Epic
Places
Scholars think Herot might have been built on the coast of Zealand, in Denmark.
Scandinavia
Britain
BeowulfIntroducing the Epic
Takes place in Denmark & Sweden (not England)
BeowulfIntroducing the Epic
Beowulf: nephew of Higlac, king of the Geats.
Hrothgar: king of the Danes.
Wiglaf: a Geat warrior, one of Beowulf’s select band and the only one to help him in his final fight with the dragon.
People
BeowulfIntroducing the Epic
Grendel: man-eating monster who lives at the bottom of a foul mere, or mountain lake.
Monsters
Grendel’s mother: water-witch who seeks revenge.
Dragon: giant fire-breathing serpent whom Beowulf fights in Part Two of the epic.
Places
Herot: the golden guest hall built by King Hrothgar where warriors gathered to celebrate. [End of Section]
BeowulfIntroducing the Epic
What is a Hero?
Do you know a real life hero?What do you think this story is going to be
about?
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