55 BC Julius Caesar invades Britain Bringing “stone roads, written scholarship, and eventually Christianity.” Celts were taught Latin

Rome was overrun by invading tribes Roman Empire Falls Britain open to Anglo invasion 449 Northern European Tribes (Angles, Saxons, and Jutes) invade Britain Organized into 7 kingdoms – Heptarchy (Northumbria, Mercia, East Anglia, Essex, Sussex, Wessex and Kent) Britain became known as Angle land-England Welsh leader Arthur led Celtic resistance

Society was centered around clans, ruled by chieftains Primarily pagan with focus on wyrd (fate); warrior gods Mostly violent seafaring wanderers Anglo-Saxon warriors gathered in Mead Halls to hear tales of battle by Scops (shopes) Over time they became semi-civilized, agricultural Christianity was still being practiced in Ireland; slowly moved through Britain by 690

Language was influenced by heavy dialect of varying tribes The History of English in Ten Minutes

Long, narrative poem celebrating a hero’s deeds including the following elements hero of noble birth or importance hero’s traits reflect his society hero who performs superhuman deeds hero’s actions determine fate of the nation vast setting formal diction and serious tone includes long speeches by major characters elements of the supernatural reflects timeless values: courage, loyalty reflects timeless themes: good over evil

Repetition Stock epithets - compound adjectives that are used to point out traits “swift-footed” Kennings – similar to epithets; descriptive PHRASES or COMPOUND WORDS that are used in place of a noun Alliteration – repetition of initial consonant sounds Parallelism – repetition of grammatical structures WHY DO YOU THINK REPETITION PLAYED SUCH A MAJOR ROLE IN THE EPIC?

Anonymous author: the Beowulf Poet Composed probably four centuries prior to Norman conquest Not written down until A.D

The Danes – Vikings (Norwegians and Swedes) attacked but were defeated by Alfred the Great who forced Christianity on them Norman Invasion – William (the Conqueror) led Normandy to successfully invade Britain --The Norman Invasion marked serious changes in the English language due to the heavy influence of French dialect

Begins with Battle of Hastings Duke of Normandy (William) defeated and killed King Harold (last Anglo Saxon King); battle begins the Norman Conquest Norman Conquest Outcomes William controls England Anglo Saxon language is influenced by French and becomes Anglo Norman (Middle English) French law and order impacts Anglos democratic ways Domesday Book – William inventories all personal property Feudalism – Lord (protector); Serf/Vassal (worker/slave)

Magna Carta ended the church’s domination of England Hundred Years War – England fought France from ; Yeomen replaced knights Black Death (1348) – Plague that eventually claimed about 75% of the population

Written by Chaucer; about a religious pilgrimage to Thomas a Becket’s shrine in Canterbury; Thomas a Becket – archbishop of Canterbury was murdered in his cathedral; King Henry II thought responsible

England’s first great writer Born into middle class between Career in government; fought in the 100 Years War Writing helped him advance politically; writing popular due to his use of vernacular Influenced by Boccaccio’s Decameron Died in 1400; buried in Westminster Abbey Canterbury Tales unfinished; not organized until 1387

Considered a quest narrative ( narrative poem involving a quest) Written in IAMBIC PENTAMETER (unstressed syllable followed by stressed); five feet

Frame of snapshots of life in Middle Ages Begins with Prologue and is told by a poet-pilgrim (Chaucer) Poet-pilgrim meets 29 other pilgrims along way to Canterbury and decide to share stories Setting: April in Tabard Inn (London)

Strong Characterization; Chaucer’s characters fall into 3 categories: Feudal, Church, and Merchant/Professional Interesting use of Tone Humorous use of Irony The Pardoner’s Tale Rap