The Anglo-Saxon Era 449 - 1066

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The Anglo-Saxon Era449 - 1066
Glory in Battle
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The Anglo-Saxon Era449 - 1066

• Celts Britons original inhabitants
• 449 Angles, Saxons Jutes settled in England
  from North Danes invaded later (Germanic)
• Pagan worshipped Germanic gods and fate
• Romans ? Christianity ? books
• Oral tradition recorded by Christian monks
• Characteristics of poetry
• Subjects Glory, battle, treasure, ocean travel,
  Fate
• Tone Heroic, tragic, bellicose
• Form Narrative, alliterative poetry (not
  rhyming)
• Kenning 2 words in place of 1 (whale-road, life
  house)

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The Invasions
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Anglo-Saxon Literature
http//
The Book of Kells
faculty.virginia.edu/OldEnglish/Beowulf.Readings/w
ave/beo03p.wav
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The Medieval Period
The Age of Chivalry
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The Medieval Period1066 - 1485

• 1066 Norman Conquest William the Conquerer
  brought French language, customs (chivalry) and
  government (feudalism)
• Feudalism 3 classes nobility, clergy,
  peasantry religion dominated
• Legends King Arthur and Robin Hood
• 1348-49 Plague killed 1/3 European pop.

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Medieval Legends
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The Medieval Ballad

• Form Narrative poem originated in oral
  tradition often set to music, usually quatrains
  (abcb)
• Subjects Loyalty, Christianity, battle,
  chivalry (focus is on plot only)
• Tone Usually tragic, often supernatural,
  dutiful, heroic

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The Renaissance1485 1660
Rebirth of Knowledge
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The Renaissance1485 1660

• Rebirth of classical knowledge moved north from
  Italy
• Tudor Dynasty patrons of arts and sciences
• Gutenburg and Caxton increased literacy
• Reformation split church Protestant / Catholic
• Highly structured stylized designs in art
  lit.
• Characteristics of poetry
• Form Lyric poem, highly stylized every
  syllable counts
• Subject Ideal love, classical allusions
• Tone Respectful, impassioned, dutiful

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Medieval v. Renaissance Art
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The Sonnet

• Most popular form of poetry in Renaissance
• Meter Iambic Pentameter
• Rhyme Scheme
• Petrarchan / Italian first form ABBA ABBA CDDC
  CC
• Octet First 8 lines, sets up the story
• Sestet Second 6 lines, tells feelings / actions
  / outcomes
• Adapted by Shakespeare to form English sonnet
  ABAB CDCD EFEF GG