1. The Anglo-Saxons and Beowulf
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2. Table of Contents Anglo-Saxon Era: Timeline Anglo-Saxon society
Pagan vs. Christianity
Anglo-Saxon Literature
Beowulf
Resources
Author’s slide
Concept Map
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3. The Anglo-Saxon Era: Timeline
43CE Romans invade Britain.
Encountered the Celts.
Romans build roads, villas, huge buildings, and forts.
Introduced Christianity.
420CE Romans leave.

4. Timeline Continued
450CE Jutes from Denmark, and the Angles and Saxons from Northern Germany invade England.
597CE Anglo-Saxons become Christian
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5. Timeline Continued 787CE Viking raids begin
CE King Alfred the Great becomes King of England.
Established education systems, rebuilt monasteries.
Fought Danes and forced them from Wessex.
Unified Anglo-Saxons under one king to resist the Viking invasions.
Danes ruled in the North, Anglo-Saxons in the South.
1066CE Norman Conquest by William the Conqueror.
From Norman French.
Defeated Danes and Anglo-Saxons.
Officially ended Anglo-Saxon era and brought about the beginning of the Medieval Period.
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6. Anglo-Saxon Society Anglo-Saxon society.
Lived in tribal groups with a high class of warriors.
Kings emerged as society developed.
Spoke Old English. This was the language that Beowulf was written in.
Became Christian but still valued heroic ideals and traditional heroes.
Their culture valued human contact, family, virtue, and a good story. They feared humiliation and loneliness in their lives. In addition, the Anglo-Saxons desired richness, power, and appreciated heroic actions of warriors.
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7. Pagan vs. Christianity in Beowulf
The Anglo-Saxons mixed both pagan and Christian traditions. Beowulf contains traces of both beliefs.
Pagan
Christianity
Strong nature presence
Strength of the warrior
God is mentioned by two of the main characters in the poem: Beowulf and Hrothgar.
Grendel as Lucifer
Both are outcasts
Perform a task for God
Grendel is described as a son or descendant of Cain, a clear Biblical reference.
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8. Anglo-Saxon Literature
Anglo-Saxon literature began as an oral tradition. Stories, poems, and songs were all told aloud and passed from generation to generation orally through minstrels (also called scops).
Poems traditionally had a strong beat, alliteration, and no rhyme.
Caesura: “a cutting.” A break in a line of poetry, used in Old English to depict a half line. We use a comma for a modern effect.
i.e. Da com of more under mistheleopum
“Out from the marsh, from the foot of the hills.”
Kenning: derived from the Norse word “kenna” which means “to know, to recognize.” It is a compact metaphor that functions as a name.
i.e. helmberend: “Helm bearer” or “warrior”
Old English example
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9. The Epic!
Beowulf is the most well-known Anglo-Saxon poem, and is a form of poetry called the epic. Such other examples are Homer’s The Iliad and The Odessey.
Long narrative that celebrates a hero’s long journeys and heroic deeds.
J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Ring series and George Lucas’ Stars Wars could be called modern epics.
Characteristics include a noble hero whose character traits reflect their society’s ideals. The hero performs brave acts and appears superhuman.
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10. Heroic Code
The epic poem Beowulf strengthens the Heroic Code. This code was derived from the Anglo-Saxons’ Germanic roots, and called for strength, courage, and loyalty in warriors. It also required kings to be hospitable, generous, and have great political skills. This code was a basis for Anglo-Saxon honor.
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11. Common Themes Of an Epic Poem
Universal themes of epic poetry
Good vs. evil
Beowulf vs. Grendel
Isolation
Courage and honor
Beowulf is fearless and brave while fighting the monsters.
Gods or semi-divine creatures
Grendel, Grendel’s mother, the dragon
Tale involves the fate of an entire race
Beowulf saves Hrothgar’s village from Grendel.
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12. Beowulf Most famous of early Germanic poems
Written anywhere between , but most likely after the 500s.
The author is unknown, but likely to be Christian. It is likely that a few different authors elaborated on the tale.
Takes place in Sweden, Denmark, and Frisia.
The Norse were at this time attacking Britain, thus allowing knowledge of places, people, and ancestors to be available.
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13. Characters
Beowulf: main character, a hero featuring all the qualities of an epic hero. He has superhuman strength and is fearless and brave in battler.
Hrothgar: the king of the village that Beowulf saves from Grendel.
Grendel: a monster terrorizing Hrothgar’s village.
Grendel’s mother: a monster set out to avenge her son’s death.
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14. Resources
“The Anglo-Saxon Invasions of Britain” and “The Spread of Christianity”
“Life After the Romans”
Old English sample
Information of the Anglo-Saxon period and of Beowulf
Anderson, Rachel. “Medieval Context: Beowulf.” ENG 220 British Literature I. Grand Valley State University, Allendale, MI. 10 Jan
Schneider, Daniel. “English Literature: Anglo-Saxon Era and Beowulf.” Honors English Literature. Linden High School, Linden, MI. 30 Aug
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