Anglo-Saxons 449-1066

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Anglo-Saxons 449-1066
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Whats Going On?

• Great Britain was invaded by Angle and Saxons
• Romans occupied Great Britain but evacuated
  troops due to troubles at home
• Loss of this protection made Great Britain
  vulnerable
• They had a strong warrior culture
• They occupied the island for 6 centuries
• They were originally divided into clans and later
  unified by King Alfred

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What Developed

• Great Britain was known for their warrior-king
  and his close-knit group of followers
• Great Britain finally defended itself from the
  Danes (due to King Alfred)
• This helped unify the Angles and Saxons
  Anglo-Saxons
• Christianity began to spread during this time

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Important Date to Know

• 1066-The Norman Invasion/Battle of Hastings
• William of Normandy (William the Conqueror)
  crosses the English Channel
• William defeats Harold and the Anglo-Saxon army
• French replaces English as the language of the
  ruling class

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Literature of the Times

• Anglo-Saxons introduced a Germanic ethos (spirit
  of a culture, what they value)
• Celebrated the warrior and his exploits
• Based primarily on oral poetry- recited stories
  and magic
• Used alliteration heavily
• Spoke in Old English

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Culture

• Food and Drink
• Oats, barley, wheat etc were popular for pottage
  and beers
• Wine was for the wealthy
• Peas and beans
• Vegetables and herbs
• Meat used the whole animal
• Milk was used for mainly butter and cheese
• Main meal was lunch

• Gathered wood in summer
• Used stoves
• Boiling, stewing, grilling, and roasting were
  most common

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Customs

• Hard for kings to create new laws, most only
  upheld current laws
• Kinship- family members were obliged to seek
  revenge on murdered family members
• No juries, those being tried were responsible for
  gathering their own defense
• Women had more rights now then in later time
  periods

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Customs Continued.

• When burying the dead, bodies were either put on
  a ship or buried beneath a mound

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Whats an epic?

• Long narrative poem about a quest, told in
  formal, elevated language
• Larger-than-life hero who embodies the values of
  a particular culture
• Incredible plot involving large-scale events
• Mix of myth, legend, and history that often
  includes gods and goddesses as characters

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Why is it Important?

• Epics represent a cultures history, traditions,
  and values
• Every culture has a story and wants everyone to
  know why their culture is great
• Epics help humans bridge the gap between reality
  and divine (explain natural occurrences, etc)

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First page of Beowulf
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Beowulf

• The longest epic poem written in Old English
• Written after fall of Roman Empire
• The original manuscript of Beowulf dates back to
  1000, however the poem is much older, dating back
  to 750.
• Geographical descriptions and Christian elements,
  its assumed the writer may have been an
  Northumbria Monk (added Christian elements
  because fiction was not true, therefore a lie,
  which is a sin. They could get away with fiction
  if it contained Christian elements).
• Does not take place in England

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Summary

• Englands oldest surviving epic
• Tells the story of Beowulf who comes to the aid
  of the Danes to defeat Grendel, who has been
  tormenting the Danes for 12 years.
• He fights Grendels mother and returns to
  Geatland (his home) and becomes the ruler
• Later, he faces one last threat, a dragonhis
  last battle?!

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Setting

• Denmark---A loooooong time ago
• This is where Beowulf goes to help Hrothgar and
  the Danes
• Herot- the Mead Hall
• Lake- swampy lake area, where Grendel and his
  mother live (yes, he lives with his mom!)
• Sweden (where Beowulf is from)
• Geatland-the town where Beowulf is from
• Returns here and becomes ruler/leaderfights
  dragon here
• DanelandDenmark (Danes)
• GeatlandSweden (Geats)

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Themes

• Central Idea in a work of literature
• Possible themes to watch out for
• Importance of established identity
• Heroic Codes vs. other value systems
• Difference between a good warrior and a good king

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Motifs

• Reoccurring items, structures, and/or literary
  devices that help to inform the reader of the
  theme
• Possible motifs
• Monsters
• Mead Hall

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Symbols

• Person, place, thing, or event that stands for
  itself and for something beyond itself (ex-dove
  is a symbol for peace)
• Possible symbols
• Golden Torque (collar or necklace)
• The Banquet

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Vocabulary

• Epic Hero- has superhuman qualities. Either of
  noble birth or supernatural beings
• Alliteration- repetition of consonant sounds
• Kenning- A metaphorical phrase or compound word
  used to name a person, place, thing, or even
  indirectly.
• Scop (pronounced shop)-an Anglo-Saxon poet who
  told his tales through song/chants
• Wyrd (pronounced weird)-the Anglo-Saxon word for
  fate
• Page 21 Vocabulary 6 words-define in your notes
  and use in a sentence (a different sentence than
  the one used in the book)