BEOWULF and Anglo-Saxon Britain

Pre - Celtic Civilizations First Inhabitants of Britain were the Iberians - around 2500 - 1500 B.C. Fishers / Hunter Gatherers – Used Stone Age Weapons Celtic Groups Settle in 800-600 B.C Picts – Scotland Gaels – Ireland Britons - England

Briton Civilization Skilled in Agriculture, Metalwork, and trade Oral Tradition of Literature Druids - Priestly class preserved learning by memorizing and recited long heroic poems. Polytheistic / Natural Spiritualism Stone Temples – Stonehenge

Roman Invasion (55 B.C.) Rome invaded Briton in 55 B.C. – Gen Julius Caesar Conquered in name only, but a century later Rome returned to make good on their claim. There the Roman empire developed: - Roads, public baths, aqueducts - Hadrian’s Wall – Military defense - Christianity / Written Language The Roman empire was too weak to sustain itself in so many territories and withdrew from Britain in 409 A.D.

Hadrian’s Wall

The Anglo-saxon invasion (449 A.D.) Britain was left with a weak government and open to invasion. Legend says the British King Vortigern first invited the Angles and Saxons (of Germany) to help fight the Picts and Scots. In 449 C.E., the Anglo-Saxon invasion of Britain by the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes (of Denmark) was successful and quickly the Anglo-Saxon culture became the norm in Britain.

The Anglo-saxon Control (449 - 1066 A.D.) Britons led by a Christian commander named Arturius fought a series of battles in an effort to stop the invasion. (KING ARTHUR LEGEND) The Celt leaders resisted for as long as they possibly could. They retreated into Wales and settled there. Briton was renamed Angleland after the Angles. Their language replaced Latin as the dominant language. Anglo-Saxon rule was not unified at first. It had seven Kingdoms “the Heptarchy” (Kent / Sussex / Essex /Wessex / East Anglia / Mercia and Northumbria) each with their own “king”.

Growth of Christianity Anglo Saxons believed in “Wyrd” or Fate In the Fifth Century, Patrick, a Romanized Briton had converted most of the Gaels to Christianity. The Gaels then colonized Scotland and brought Christianity to the Picts and Angles in the North In 597 a Roman Missionary named Augustine arrived in Kent and established a monastery at Canterbury. (Canterbury Cathedral) By 690 most of Britain was at least nominally Christian. Explains the dual religions in Beowulf.

The Danish Invasion 790 AD – the Danes (Vikings) plunder and devastate Northern England (Northumbria) King Alfred “the Great” of Wessex halts the Danes southern advance, defeating them twice in 878 AD and in 886 AD. Alfred forces the Danes to sign a truce and accept Christianity - Danelaw – Danes rule the North – Anglo Saxons rule the south. Alfred becomes the first true King of England. He was able to unify England thanks to the reemergence of Christianity. It gave them a common system of morality and a connection.

Second Danish Invasion Toward the close of the tenth century, After years of peace between the Anglo Saxons, the Danes try to widen Danelaw with a new series of onslaughts. In 1016 the Danes with the support of the Anglo Saxon “Witan” (Elder Council) crown Canute the first Danish King of England. In 1042 the line of succession returned to a descendent of Alfred the Great - Edward “The Confessor” (Devoutly Christian)

Norman Conquest Edward the Confessor had no children, but swore and oath to William Duke of Normandy (FRANCE) that he would be his heir and the future King of England. Not pleased with the possibility of a French sovereign ruling England, the Witan persuaded Edward to choose another Heir – Harold Earl of Wessex. In 1066 William Duke of Normandy led an invasion of Normans into England Harold was killed at he Battle of Hastings on Christmas Day of 1066 marking the end of the last successful invasion of England. William, known as William the Conqueror, becomes the King of England. The Anglo – Saxon Rule of England ends.

BEOWULF The History and the Language

The History of Beowulf The oldest surviving epic poem in the English language – written specifically in West Saxon Old English. Somewhat based on truth, figures such as King Hygelac have been identified as real people. May have been an elegy to the unknown king of Sutton Hoo. Takes place around 500 A.D. in Denmark and Sweden.

The History of Beowulf: ~700-900 C.E.: Beowulf is composed by Anonymous ~1000 C.E.: Monk scribes make the Beowulf manuscript, likely the Christian elements of the poem are inserted at this time. Beowulf is written in unrhyming verse, without stanzas, with a caesura (pause) in the middle of each line. Old English With a Space for the Caesura Translation: Hwæt! We Gar-Dena         in geardagum, oldþeodcyninga,         þrym gefrunon, ða æþelingas         ellen fremedon.

BEOWULF Prologue – Part 5 lines 1-370

Lines 1-370 The legacy of Dane Shield Sheafson * Patriarchal lineage * On the water / foundling and founder * Great-grandfather of Hrothgar Herot – Danish king Hrothgar’s mead hall * Ring-bearing, drinking, and songs for the loyalty of thanes * Symbol of law and order amidst chaos (light vs. darkness) Grendel * Descendant of Cain * Symbolic destroyer of order Beowulf * Position as the nephew of the Geatish king Hygelac * His atmosphere of bravery as he presents himself to the Danish watchman and herald Wulfgar.

Terminology + Vocabulary Kenning – a condensed metaphor, typically a hyphenated compound word that characterizes a person, place or thing. A type of epithet. Ex: whale-road, treasure-giver scop – a bard, a musician who sings stories of heroism wyrd - fate *** mead - An alcoholic liquor made by fermenting a mixture of honey and water