Essential Question: What are the impacts of major historical events on the literature, language, and lifestyle of the Anglo-Saxons?

The Anglo-Saxons 449-1066 Miranda 2015

Why Study England and its history? America and other world democracies would not be what they are today without legacy of England: Law/parliamentary government Literature Language Before the Celts and Romans, England was a dark, green, isolated island. Then the “rise of the West” happened, as Rome and Europe expanded.

The Centuries of Invasion Julius Caesar conquered the Britons in 55 B.C. Romans brought Christianity (missionaries), armies, organization, roads Rome vacated Britain and left infrastructure, but no government. British inhabitants were in separate clans, a weak island ripe for conquering

The Anglo-Saxon Invasions (400s AD) After Rome left, Britain was invaded by as many as 200,000 Angles and Saxons from Denmark and Germany, who brought new language to “Engla-land” (land of the Angles)

The most notable Celtic leader is Arthur, King of the Britons! In the late 800s, Anglo-Saxon King Alfred of Wessex united England against Viking invaders The Norman Conquest: The AS period ended in 1066, with the arrival of the Norman duke (and later king) William the Conqueror 1066- Battle of Hastings

The Spread of Christianity Irish and European missionaries (convert the AS kings = convert their subjects), provided a common faith, morality, and link to Europe. Monasteries: places of learning and preserving great works and stories of the period, regardless of if they were Christian (importance) Scriptorium: Where monks copied manuscripts by hand (important work) Latin: the serious language of study… until King Alfred wrote “The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle” in (Old) English, which began to slowly take hold in England

The Epic Tradition Scops (also called “bards”): skilled storytellers who sang poems of gods and heroes, stories passed along orally Bards worked with a rich supply of heroic tales, reflecting concerns of AS life Much AS poetry stresses fame in the afterlife through brave and good works in life (heroes) Bards’ songs also dealt with ideas of fate and religion Bards were honored in society for entertainment and for keeping the culture and its stories alive Monks recorded the epic poems by hand much later in time. As a result, only a fraction survived.

ADDITIONS!!! This stuff was not specifically in the textbook… but I expect to see it on your notes!

Anglo-Saxon Life Anglo-Saxon life was centered on warfare, but they were not barbarians: they had a system of law and order that involved responsibility of leaders, loyalty, and gift-giving to leaders AS society was communal, centered around the hall of their leader/king. Loyalty and closeness meant survival and safety in times of warfare.

King/Leader’s Hall Everyone else lived closely centered around it

The Anglo-Saxon Religion: Gods for Warriors A key belief was that fame in life (through heroic deeds) meant one would live on after death. The old AS religion came from the Scandinavian mythology of “warrior gods”: Odin – god of death, poetry, and magic; associated with burial rites Thunor/Thor – god of thunder and lightning; his sign was the hammer The dragon: protector of treasure, guardian of the grave mound– seen as personification of “death the devourer” and guardian of grave mound The three key ethics of AS society: Loyalty Bravery Generosity

Beowulf in Old English (Anglo-Saxon) HWÆT, WE GAR-DEna in geardagum, þeodcyninga þrym gefrunon, hu ða æþelingas ellen fremedon! oft Scyld Scefing sceaþena þreatum, monegum mægþum meodosetla ofteah, egsode eorlas, syððanærest wearð feasceaft funden; he þæs frofre gebad, weox under wolcnum weorðmyndum þah, oð þæt him æghwylc ymbsittendra ofer hronrade hyran scolde, gomban gyldan; þæt wæs god cyning! What does it sound like?

Old English Poetics Poems were transmitted to the public through song (recited aloud, usually accompanied by harp) Because of this, as much emphasis was placed on how the poem sounded as what it contained: Emphasis on stressed/unstressed syllables in a line (number of syllables not important) Alliteration: repetition of consonant and vowel sounds at beginning of words Caesura: rhythmical pause Kennings: (see next slide)

Kennings What are they? Why use them? Examples: A metaphorical way of speaking, writing, and thinking A noun is renamed in a creative way using a compound word or union of two separate words to combine ideas Why use them? The AS poets depended on alliteration, but didn’t have a large vocabulary In oral poetry, ready-made phrases were valuable Their complex structure satisfied taste for elaboration (basically, they sounded good) Examples: whale-paths: oceans wave-rider: a boat or ship ring-giver, folk-friend, or friend to the people: a king

Let’s try some! television meatloaf homework pop tarts police music computer

Questions: 3- Applying “Off the page” or “From the brain” Evaluate 1- Gathering “On the page” or “From the book” Complete Identify Recite Define List Select Describe Observe 2- Processing “Between the Lines” or “From the book and brain” Compare Sort Infer Contrast Distinguish Analyze Classify Explain (why?) 3- Applying “Off the page” or “From the brain” Evaluate Judge If/Then Generalize Predict Hypothesize Imagine Speculate Forecast

Summary Under your notes, draw a horizontal line. Below that, write “Summary” You will be summarizing your Anglo-Saxon notes: List 3-5 things that best sum up the Anglo-Saxon literature, language, lifestyle.