ANGLO – SAXON HISTORY The Dark Ages AD

OCCUPANTS BEFORE ANGLO-SAXONS 1 st to Inhabit = Iberians 700 BC 1 st to Inhabit = Iberians 700 BC – brought late stone-age tools to England Celts 500 BC Celts 500 BC Romans BC Romans BC – Julius Caesar invades, but returns to Rome to protect city – AD 44 – Pagan beliefs (heathen; one who has no religion) Jutes AD 449 Jutes AD 449 – 1 st Germanic tribe to invade Saxons AD 477 Saxons AD 477 Angles AD 547 Angles AD 547

Time Periods

Why AD 449? Why England? Jutes a small tribe Jutes a small tribe – Hard to defend themselves – Hard to provide for – Not much say AD 449 – for 1 st Germanic tribe AD 449 – for 1 st Germanic tribe Angles deem England “Angleland” Angles deem England “Angleland”

The illustration above shows the layout of the two skeletons and some of the other remains in the photo above left. The horse (shown yellow), the warrior (orange) and the remains of the shield that the warrior was buried with (green) can be clearly seen. Also, the outline of the position of a sword can be made out (marked purple) and the rings from an iron- bound bucket (possibly buried to provide food for the horse in the afterlife) are shown in red. Contents copyright © Ben Levick Webgraphics, design and programming copyright © Nicole Kipar 2000, All rights reserved. Not for public distribution and not in the public domain. Use or copying is deniedNicole Kipar

Contributions Of Anglo-Saxons 1. Heroic Qualities Bravery Bravery Loyalty Loyalty Sternness Sternness Warlike Warlike Love of Glory Love of Glory 2. Worshipped ancient Germanic Gods Tiu = God of War & Sky (Tuesday) Tiu = God of War & Sky (Tuesday) Woden = Chief of Gods (Wednesday) Woden = Chief of Gods (Wednesday) Fria = Wodens Wife/ goddess of home (Friday) Fria = Wodens Wife/ goddess of home (Friday) Valhalla- heaven Valhalla- heaven 3. Pagan Beliefs Life was believed to be in the hands of fate (Wyrd = Goddess of Fate) Life was believed to be in the hands of fate (Wyrd = Goddess of Fate) Ruling warlords descended from gods Ruling warlords descended from gods Sought revenge & treated household cruelly Sought revenge & treated household cruelly 4. Runic Alphabet

Runic Alphabet

How Do We Know? Oral Tradition (Characterizations of Anglo- Saxon Poetry) Used for memorizing Used for memorizing Strong rhythm Strong rhythm (a good beat) Alliteration Alliteration – Repetition of initial consonant sound – (like a tongue twister) Parallelism/ Anaphora Parallelism/ Anaphora – Repetition of a grammatical pattern – “It is I who …” “It is I who …” Caesura Caesura – A pause in the middle of a poetic line Kennings Kennings – Metaphorical phrase – One thing is spoken of as if it were something else – “that long sleep” – “sky-candle” – “whale-road” – “foamy-throated sea-stallion” Unrhymed Verse Unrhymed Verse – If it rhymes, it isn’t AS poetry

A scop would perform the poems at victory celebrations. He would be accompanied by a musician called the gleeman. The celebrations would be held in large banquet halls called “ Mead-halls ” Mead was a honey-like alcoholic beverage enjoyed by AS warriors. An Anglo-Saxon warrior was also called a thane.

What Is “OLD ENGLISH” ? The English language from the middle of the 5 th to the 12 th century; also called Anglo-Saxon language The English language from the middle of the 5 th to the 12 th century; also called Anglo-Saxon language

eowulf - The Funeral of Scyld Scefing im ða Scyld gewat to gescæphwile felahror feran on frean wære. Hi hyne þa ætbæron to brimes faroðe, swæse gesiþas, swa he selfa bæd, þenden wordum weold wine Scyldinga; leof landfruma lange ahte. ær æt hyðe stod hringedstefna, isig ond utfus, æþelinges fær. Aledon þa leofne þeoden,

BEOWULF Heroic Poetry Heroic Poetry Epic ( epos- “word speech”) Epic ( epos- “word speech”) – Long narrative poem about a hero or heroic deeds/ written in a dignified style National Epic National Epic – Epic poem relating the deeds of a hero of a particular people – Helps people define their values, mores, social systems, and relationships

Conventions of Epic Poetry Begins in medias res Begins in medias res Invocation of the muse Invocation of the muse Statement of theme or purpose Statement of theme or purpose Supernatural intervention Supernatural intervention Epic questions- answered by the poet Epic questions- answered by the poet Formal, long speeches Formal, long speeches Epic Catalogues of names (warriors, ships, armies) Epic Catalogues of names (warriors, ships, armies) Repetitions of epithets & kennings Repetitions of epithets & kennings Action= heroic deeds and journey Action= heroic deeds and journey Epic Similes- lengthy comparisons Epic Similes- lengthy comparisons

Epic Hero Traits Performs great, superhuman deeds Performs great, superhuman deeds Nation’s fate rests on outcome of hero’s adventures Nation’s fate rests on outcome of hero’s adventures Representative of most admired traits of culture Representative of most admired traits of culture Descends into lower regions during quest Descends into lower regions during quest Remains mortal (not a god) Remains mortal (not a god) Boasts of accomplishments Boasts of accomplishments Extremely generous & loyal Extremely generous & loyal

EPIC GENRE: ESSENTIAL ACTION Mimesis = imitation of an actionMimesis = imitation of an action Action = movement of the spiritAction = movement of the spirit the call / the goalthe call / the goal Ind’l in isolation Living for himself Has powers but does not know what they are for the battle / the strugglethe battle / the struggle Discovery of purpose Acceptance of heroic task (journey and/or battle the establishmentthe establishment Part of a community Result: Leaves a legacy

RELATION TO LIFE Mystery Probed: Life’s Direction What are we called to do?What are we called to do? What are our goals?What are our goals? What is the good life?What is the good life? What kind of life worth fighting for?What kind of life worth fighting for? What does it mean to live life heroically?What does it mean to live life heroically? Who are our heroes?Who are our heroes? Essential Questions:

May have been composed as an May have been composed as an elegy for a king who died in the seventh century The burial rites described in the The burial rites described in the epic show a great similarity to the evidence found at Sutton Hoo. Sutton HooSutton Hoo

The sole manuscript of the poem dates to c Handwriting style reveals that it was inscribed by two different people. Whether either scribe embellished or altered the original story is unknown. The sole manuscript of the poem dates to c Handwriting style reveals that it was inscribed by two different people. Whether either scribe embellished or altered the original story is unknown.

Beowulf Notes Setting is 6 th century Scandinavia (present day Sweden and Denmark) Setting is 6 th century Scandinavia (present day Sweden and Denmark) Author is unknown because the story passed through oral tradition Author is unknown because the story passed through oral tradition Juxtaposes both Pagan and Christian elements Juxtaposes both Pagan and Christian elements

Characters of Beowulf Hrothgar: King of the Danes (Denmark) Hrothgar: King of the Danes (Denmark) Grendel: a monster who terrorizes the Danes Grendel: a monster who terrorizes the Danes Higlac: Beowulf’s king (King of the Geats - Sweden) Higlac: Beowulf’s king (King of the Geats - Sweden) Beowulf: A Geat who comes to help the Danes Beowulf: A Geat who comes to help the Danes Herot: The greatest of all Mead Halls in the land of the Danes Herot: The greatest of all Mead Halls in the land of the Danes Unferth: one of Hrothgar’s men Unferth: one of Hrothgar’s men Brecca: a friend of Beowulf’s when he was a young man Brecca: a friend of Beowulf’s when he was a young man

Journal 1-6 What is your definition of a hero? What is your definition of a heroic act? Give examples of your definition along with explanations. What is your definition of a hero? What is your definition of a heroic act? Give examples of your definition along with explanations. ½ page