1. The Anglo Saxons and Beowulf

2. Great Britain Great Britain England Scotland Wales
Ireland is NOT considered a part of Great Britain, but Northern Ireland is a part of the United Kingdom.

3. The First People Britain first settled by Celts
Celts came from continental Europe between B.C.
2 tribes of Celts:
Britons (settled in what is now Great Britain)
Gaels (settled in what is now Ireland)

4. The Invasion
In 43 A.D., Romans invaded and Britons were either forced northward or into slavery; introduced the concept of Christianity
Eventually (449 A.D.), the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes (Germanic tribes) invaded. They took over and called the island “Angle-land.”
Angles, Saxons, and Jutes carved the land into tribal kingdoms, but came to think of themselves as one people: the English (a.k.a. Anglo-Saxons)
By 650, most of England was Christian, at least by name (though many held onto pagan beliefs)

5. Anglo-Saxon Kings - Egbert
The small kingdoms fought amongst each other until 829—King Egbert of Wessex won control of all Anglo-Saxon kingdoms.
Unfortunately, by the end of Egbert’s reign, Vikings had captured much of the kingdom
Vikings were Scandinavian (called Norse because they had crossed the North Sea). They were predominantly Danes.
Vikings had taken over much of France, and that area became known as Normandy.

6. The Danish Invasion
Due to rising population and limited farmland, many Scandinavians (the Norse and the Danes) took to the seas—the Vikings.
In 800, Danish raiders attacked Britain.
The Norse settled in Northumbria, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland.
The Danes targeted eastern and southern England.

7. Side note
DO NOT FORGET!!!
Beowulf is NOT set in England, and the characters are NOT English.
It is set in Scandinavia (Denmark, Norway, Sweden) and involves the Geats of southern Sweden and the Danes of Denmark.
Beowulf is considered a part of English literature because it was written in Old English.
Why such a story is written in English is somewhat of a mystery.  It was likely brought to English literature by means of the oral tradition during the continuous Scandinavian raids on English shores.

9. Anglo-Saxon Kings - Alfred
In 878, Alfred, King of Wessex (Egbert’s grandson) defeated the Danes at the Battle of Edington.
Alfred went on to recapture most of England, as well as promote education and literacy among his people.
He became known as “Alfred the Great.” Alfred’s son and grandson won back the rest of England and made peace with the Vikings.

10. **Remember: France = Vikings
1066 – Norman Conquest
King Edward died
William (the Duke of Normandy)** laid claim to the throne (Edward may have promised the throne to William)
Instead, the English council of elders chose Harold II as king
Duke William attacked, defeated the Anglo-Saxons and killed Harold at the Battle of Hastings. He became King William I
**Remember: France = Vikings

11. Summary
Celts  Romans  Celts  Angles/Saxons/Jutes  Anglo-Saxons (Egbert) Scandinavians/Vikings  Anglo-Saxons (Alfred)  Normans

12. *****Beowulf contains all three.
Old English Poetry
3 major types of Old English poetry:
Heroic verse—Celebrates courage, honor, loyalty
Elegy—Mourns a loss
Religious verse—Focuses on Christian teachings and stories
*****Beowulf contains all three.

13. Beowulf (the poem)
• 3200 lines • Composed between AD; set in the early 6th century • Based on a mix of early Celtic and Scandinavian folk legends • Original written manuscript dates back to approximately the year 1000 • It is now in a British Museum, though not in perfect condition

14. A look into Old English social life & politics
Society rigidly feudal, highly civilized in many ways, yet highly violent.
The poem glorifies war, death, and fame (fame is the most precious thing a man can have because it is the only thing that survives).
Male dominated society
In many ways valued warfare more than people
In a warrior society, the most important relationship is between warrior (thane) and his lord.
Warrior who pledged his loyalty became a voluntary companion to his lord—took pride in defending his lord and fighting in his wars.
In return, the lord was expected to take affectionate care of his thanes, to reward them richly.
Relationship between kinsmen also very important: If one’s kinsman was slain it was one’s duty to kill the slayer or exact revenge.

15. Did Beowulf’s character really exist?
The tribe in southern Sweden did exist, but Beowulf as represented in the story is fictitious.
There was a real man named Beowulf who helped the Danes and Geats fend off pirate attacks. He was not, however, king of the Geats nor a Danish hero.
Higlac (king of Geats, Beowulf’s king) and Hrothgar (king of the Danes, whom Beowulf helps) both based on real kings
Significance of battle: God grants Beowulf’s victory, but the good fighter is the one who becomes famous, never gives up, doesn’t worry about the possible consequences of bravery

16. Typical Themes
Contains typical themes of seafaring warriors, a society bound by military/tribal loyalties
Bravery of warriors and generosity of rulers highly valued
Combines pagan folklore (monsters) with Christian themes (good vs. evil)
ex: Grendel is a monster, described as an enemy of God and descendent of Cain (first murderer in the Bible)

17. Beowulf: Old English Superhero
Beowulf is an epic hero: Courage, physical strength, wisdom in guiding others, loyalty to the king, and supreme self-confidence. He embodies the ideals of his people.
Story of Beowulf is an epic poem—long narrative poem written in formal language that tells of the adventures of a larger-than-life hero.
Beowulf is a folk epic: Story rises from the people and is passed by word of mouth from generation to generation until it is ultimately written down (contrast with literary epic, like the Aeneid, which is the work of one author setting out to follow a literary form).
Epic plots:
Contain supernatural events,
Span long time periods
Involve distant journeys
Feature life and death struggles of good vs. evil.
The hero always represents good
The forces that threaten the people always represent evil

18. Beowulf is set in a time when warriors gathered in mead/banquet halls for great feasts to tell of their adventures (raiding, looting, burning settlements).
Kings gave riches to their bravest warriors in exchange for loyalty.
Monsters and dragons were often included in the tales told and were believed to exist.

19. Mead Hall

20. An expression of sorrow; song or literary composition that mourns
Lament –
An expression of sorrow;
song or literary
composition that mourns
A loss or death

21. Infamous –
having a bad
reputation or
being notorious

22. Shroud –
A burial cloth

23. Writhing –
twisting as
in pain

24. Forged –
formed or shaped,
often with blows
or pressure after
heating.

25. Caesura –
A break, pause, or
Interruption in
a line of a poem

26. Kenning – a descriptive poetic phrase used in place of a name for a
person or thing
“whale road” = the sea
“Higlac’s follower” = Beowulf

27. telling of a hero’s deeds
epic poem –
a long narrative poem
telling of a hero’s deeds

28. in place of a name or title
Epithet –
a word or phrase
which describes a
person’s character;
in place of a name or title

29. Boast –
an exaggerated
speech; bragging

30. throughout literature regardless of time, religion, or culture
Archetype –
an idea, personality,
or image that is copied
throughout literature regardless of time, religion, or culture

31. Motif –
recurring subject
or theme within
a literary work

32. Elegy –
funeral song or
lament for the dead;
mournful poem