The Anglo- Saxon Period AD

History  Oldest known period of time that had a complex culture, stable government, art, and literature  Many advancements in each of these categories  The Anglo-Saxon period paved the way for future societies (set the foundation for art, literature, society, culture that we have today)  Extremely advanced culture for the time

History  The Angles were a Germanic tribe that occupied what is now Scleswig-Holstein, Germany  With the other ethnic groups, they formed the people that would be known as the English  The Saxons were Germanic people who appeared in the beginning of the Christian era  In 596, Paganism was the religion of choice  But then missionaries began to convert people from Paganism to Christianity  By 650 almost all of England had converted (at least in name) to Christianity

Religion Paganism  Often characterized by a reverence to nature  No concept of sin  Pagans are responsible for their own actions  Belief in fate & monsters  Lack of belief in a higher power Christianity  Sees life as linear  Bible and gospels are the guiding rules for Christians  Good vs. evil, right vs. wrong  Existence of God

Religion & Beowulf  The epic poem shows influences of both Paganism and Christianity, thus reflecting the changing times

The Anglo-Saxons  Common weapon was the spear  7 feet long with an iron head used to throw or jab  Shields were plain and round made of wood with an iron center  Simple, modest garments (robes gathered at the waist made of linen and wool, soft sandals)  Favorite pastimes: dice, board games (chess), complex riddles, hunting, juggling balls & knives

The Anglo-Saxons  Little writing was preserved as the written language was still being developed  Storytelling was the oral tradition  Scops: traveling minstrel who captivated audiences with long narrative poems

Types of English  Old English  Middle English  Early Modern English  Present Day English

Old English   Anglo-Saxon English  Combination of Norse, Celtic, Germanic and Latin  Most important surviving work is Beowulf Hwæt. We Gardena in gear-dagum.

Middle English  1100 to 1400  Softened some from its Germanic roots through the influence of the French  Introduced new words  Most important surviving work is The Canterbury Tales Aboute his nekke, under his arm adoun.

Early Modern English   Known as Shakespeare’s English  Different from Middle English through its pronunciation of vowels  EME was widespread with the advent of the printing press It beggar'd all description.

Present Day English  present  Different from EME by its spelling and pronouns (thou  you) Hear me! We've heard of Danish heroes.

Anglo-Saxon Poetry Elegiac  Laments the deaths of loved ones and the loss of the past  “The Seafarer”  “The Wanderer”  “The Wife’s Lament” Heroic  Recounts the achievements of warriors  Beowulf

Aspects Aspects in Anglo-Saxon poetry  Lyric poetry: (heroic or elegiac) expresses thoughts and feelings of one speaker. Composed for easy recitation and memorization  Iambic tetrameter  Alliteration  Kenning  Caesura  Assonance  Patronymics  Epithets  Use of the number 3

Iambic Tetrameter  Meter in poetry consisting of four iambic feet  4 feet per line; line comprising four iambs u / u / u / u / Come live with me and be my love daDUMdaDUMdaDUMdaDUM

Alliteration  The repetition of initial consonant sounds in accented syllables

Kenning  A device for making associations without distracting attention from the initial statement  Two-word poetic renamings of people, places and things  Battle sweat = blood  Sky’s jewel = sun

Caesura  Rhythmic breaks in the middle of lines, meant to allow the speaker to pause for breath I make this songabout me full sadly my own wayfaring.I a woman tell what griefs I hadsince I grew up New or oldnever more than now. Ever I knowthe dark of my exile. from “The Wife’s Lament”

Assonance  The repetition of vowel sounds to create internal rhyming (combine with alliteration and consonance to create verse)  Batter these ramparts  The crumbling thunder of seas

Patr Patronymics  The practice of calling the son by the father’s name  son (daughter) of Gary

Epithets  Adjectives or phrases added to a word or name that are used to express the characteristic of the person, thing or idea  Aeneas the true  Tall-masted ship  Halpert the educator

Anglo-Saxon Poetry: Elegy  “The Seafarer”  “The Wanderer”  “The Wife’s Lament”  Directions: In your group, read the lyric poem and annotate the poem using different colors. Then, on the butcher paper, create a chart and identify (and cite) the literary aspects. Finally, write a thesis statement that answers the prompt: In lyric poetry, specific elements of literature are used to artistically communicate a story/theme. How does the elegy use elements of literature to establish a theme? (How does aspect 1 influence aspect 2? Refer to the IB thesis formula.) *Elegy: lyric poem that mourns the loss of someone or something.

Sneeze: Crack the Riddle. Old English Moððe word fræt-- me þæt þuhte wrætlicu wyrd þa ic þæt wundor gefrægn, þæt se wyrm forswealg wera gied sumes, þeof in þystro, þrymfæstne cwide ond þæs strangan staþol. Stælgiest ne wæs wihte þy gleawra þe he þam wordum swealg. Translation The creature ate its words-- it seemed to me strangely weird when I heard this wonder: that it had devoured human speech. A thief in the darkness gloriously mouthed the source of knowledge-- but thee thief was not the least bit wiser for the words in his mouth.

Anglo-Saxon Poetry: Heroic  Lengthy narrative poem  Celebrates the deeds of a legendary or heroic figure  Captures the cultural and religious values of the people who created/retold them  Features of the heroic poem  The hero battles forces that threatens the order of his world  Story is told in a serious manner, often in elevated language  Epic hero

The Epic Hero  Larger-than-life (demi-god)  Introduced in the midst of a conflict  Speaks with eloquence and confidence  Possesses weapons of great size and power  Must undertake a journey no one else will that tests his strength, will, and cunningness  Faces adversaries that try to defeat him  The epic adversary is usually a (monster) “god despiser,” one who has more respect for his mental and physical self than for the power of the gods  Illustrates traits, performs deeds, and exemplifies morals (culturally and religiously) valued by society  Superhuman in that they are smarter, stronger, and braver than the average person