Their History, Culture, Language, and Literature The Anglo-Saxons Their History, Culture, Language, and Literature

Ancient Britain 2000 - 43 A.D. Inhabited by Britons and Celtic people Farmers and hunters Society organized into clans Ruled by tribal chieftains elected from the class of pagan priests—practiced ANIMISM (form of paganism that believed spirits are in everything) Priests known as the Druids Celts are the first culture that we know something of in England. Up until the birth of Christ, there was not very much Roman culture in England.

Roman Britain 43 – 449 A.D. 43 A.D. – Romans, under Claudius’s rule, conquer Britain. Brought their law, culture, comforts, and Latin language to the land. The Celts become “Romanized,” tribal disputes stop, and things are fairly peaceful. Britons were converted to Christianity with the rest of the Roman Empire in the 4th century. 5th century(410 AD) – Roman occupation ends. 55 & 56 B C- The Romans, under Julius Caesar, visit the islands, and quickly declare it conquered. Romans influence Celtic society—more of an assimilation program. Roman contribution - Roads were built After 300 years of rule, the last of the Roman legions departed from Britain to defend Rome itself from northern European invaders.

Arrival of the Anglo – Saxons 5th Century A.D. Withdrawal of the Romans left the native Britons vulnerable. Next 100 years – Britons were invaded by seafaring, Germanic invaders. Three tribes known as Angles, Saxons, and Jutes (were originally hired by Celts and Britons as mercenaries to drive out the Romans). Invasion forced natives to retreat to Wales. Old English Period begins in 449. 1. Rome departs from England in 407 A D, prior to the Fall of Rome A. Old disputes continue again between tribes B. Scots and Pits now threaten Celts in the south 2. Vortigern (a Celt) invites Scandinavian mercenaries to defend the Celts. These defenders are of Germanic tribes: Angles, Saxons, and Jutes. They arrive in 449 A D and take over.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/anglosaxons/invasion/index.shtml

Anglo-Saxon Culture A.S. brought legends about ancient German heroes and kings. Warriors were celebrated in lays or songs sung at feasts by a gleeman or scop. Lays accompanied by the harp or lyre. Songs composed orally – for entertainment, but also kept history alive. Kings would entertain friends in mead halls, named for the drink mead made from fermented honey.

Heorot – The Meadhall in Beowulf

Anglo-Saxon Themes Heroism and kingship – the relationship between kings and their thanes (warriors). Wergild- “man price” or retribution for the death of one’s family member. After the arrival of Christianity, their relationship with God takes on these themes.

Themes cont’d. Wyrd- “Fate” controlled one’s destiny. Exile- the cost of being abandoned or apart from one’s tribe and society.

Anglo-Saxon Religious Beliefs (Before Christianity) A.S. were Pagans. Christianity of Roman times kept alive only in remote regions. Every human life in the hands of fate (Old English: wyrd). Worshipped ancient Germanic gods: Tiu, god of war and the sky; Woden, chief of the gods; and Fria, Woden’s wife. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday

Anglo-Saxon Society Organized into a class of warriors known as earls or thanes. These warriors protected and were devoted to the king, who was chosen by a witan- council of elders. There was also a class of freemen known as churls. Slaves were known as thralls. Women, as “peace-weavers” These tribes are extremely violent, and believe that even the gods are bloodthirsty. They value revenge, and their lord. The tribes are warlike and believed in human sacrifice. Tribes fought amongst each other frequently; however, tribal differences soon faded.

**Women known as peaceweavers. King Witan (chose king) Thanes (nobles) Churls (freemen) Thralls (slaves) **Women known as peaceweavers.

Weapons of War

A Typical Village

Return of Christianity All of England converted to Christianity upon the arrival of Augustine in 597 A.D. Augustine began by converting King Ethelbert of Kent. Rest of England soon followed. Monasteries built. By 731 A.D.-Christianity well-rooted A. 597 A D- St. Augustine is sent to England, and he Christianizes the Island. 1. Upon learning that these beautiful people are pagan, he wants them to be saved 2. The barbarian tribes take to Christianity B. Celtic Christian movement comes from the north C. Within 100 years, the country is thoroughly Christian/ Catholic 731 A D- Christianity is so well rooted, that Bede writes as if previous events are old history. The new religion had a profound effect on the A.-S. civilization: warlords could no longer believe that they were the descendants of gods; no longer could freemen think it permissible to treat their wives or children or slaves with cruelty.

The Scribes In monasteries, scribes produced books by hand. Books were usually religious in nature. Focused on saints’ lives and sermons. There were also copies of the oral literature. Because of these Christian scribes, Anglo-Saxon culture was recorded. “Father of English History” – the Venerable Bede, a Northumbrian monk.

The Danish Invasion 8th century (700s AD) Vikings (warriors) carried their piracy to the British Isles, bringing destruction and fear. Despite England’s efforts to defend itself, most of northern, eastern, and southern England fell to the Danes by the middle of the ninth century. Only the Saxon kingdom of Wessex fought the Danes to a standstill. 793—Viking invasions (wave two of Scandinavian invasions) raids—Viking ships raid coastline for a couple of hundred years

Norman Invasion 1066 AD Normans Invade King Edward had promised the throne to his French cousin William I (William the Conqueror), but when he died, the throne was given to Harold. Battle of Hastings: William I invaded and killed Harold. Bayeux Tapestry (depiction of events)

Bede and “Caedmon’s Hymn” Monk/Historian Composed “Caedmon’s Hymn” around 658-680 AD One of the oldest manuscripts Written in Old English Christian themes

Old English: Caedmon’s Hymn Now [we] must honour the guardian of heaven, the might of the architect, and his purpose, the work of the father of glory — as he, the eternal lord, established the beginning of wonders. He, the holy creator, first created heaven as a roof for the children of men. Then the guardian of mankind the eternal lord, the lord almighty afterwards appointed the middle earth, the lands, for men. Verse Early Saxon Nu sculon herigean   heofonrices weard, meotodes meahte    and his modgeþanc, weorc wuldorfæder,  swa he wundra gehwæs, ece drihten,   or onstealde. He ærest sceop   eorðan bearnum heofon to hrofe,    halig scyppend; þa middangeard     moncynnes weard, ece drihten,    æfter teode firum foldan,   frea ælmihtig. http://www.wwnorton.com/college/english/nael/noa/audio.htm

English Words Our 100 most common words used in Modern English today are derived from Old English. Our basic sentence building words such as the, is, and you are derived from Old English (McCrum 45).

Try to figure the riddle on the next slide. Riddles Not only did the English enjoy the stories told to them by the scops, but they also enjoyed “innuendoes and word-play” (McCrum 47). One of the most famous Old English word-play books is The Exeter Book of Riddles (McCrum 47). Try to figure the riddle on the next slide.

Riddle #69 from The Exeter Book of Riddles “On the way a miracle: water becomes bone.”

The answer is ice.

Epic Hero a great leader who identifies with certain people Setting broad and includes upper/lower worlds Hero does great deeds in battle and/or undertakes an extraordinary quest Supernatural elements occur when gods or other beings take part in the action and hero possesses supernatural strength Story told in heightened language (poem)

Beowulf Unknown author Set in 500s AD (known because of one datable fact in poem—a raid that occurred in 520 AD) Composed around 8-10th centuries and passed down orally Written down possibly in 10th century Original manuscript destroyed in fire in 1731, causing loss of sections Mostly Christian themes, but some Pagan—question over whether composer was Christian or whether ideas were later added

People and Places in Beowulf Beowulf: a Geat, son of Edgetho and nephew of Higlac, king of the Geats. Higlac is both Beowulf’s feudal lord and his uncle. Grendel: man-eating monster who lives at the bottom of a foul mere, or mountain lake. His name might be related to the Old Norse grindill, meaning “storm,” or grenja, “to bellow.” Herot: golden guest hall built by King Hrothgar, the Danish ruler.

Hrothgar: king of the Danes, builder of Herot Hrothgar: king of the Danes, builder of Herot. He had once befriended Beowulf’s father. Hrothgar’s name might mean “glory spear” or “spear of triumph.” Grendel’s Mom: lives at the bottom of the lake with her son Unferth: one of Hrothgar’s courtiers, reputed to be a skilled warrior. His sword, called Hrunting, is used by Beowulf in a later battle. Welthow: Hrothgar’s wife, queen 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. Wiglaf might be related to Beowulf. Dragon: Beowulf’s final nemesis, angry over a stolen cup