1. Old English Literature Beowulf
Anglo-Saxon England
Old English Literature
Beowulf

2. Anglo-Saxon History 449-1066 50 BCE: Julius Caesar arrived in Britain
Romans pushed native Celts to outskirts
Celts who remained became “Romanized”
407 CE: Rome pulled troops from Britain
Troops needed to defend Rome against Germanic tribes
No more protection or centralized government

3. 449: Germanic tribes (Angles, Saxons, and Jutes) arrived from what is now Denmark, Northern Germany, and northern Holland

4. 597-664: Conversion of England 789-878: Viking invasions
: reign of King Alfred the Great
defended Wessex against Vikings
reorganized military
augmented navy
created law code
had Latin works translated into (Old) English

5. 1042-1066: Edward the Confessor
Remember this name!
nicknamed “the Confessor” because of his piety
unclear plan for succession
Earl Harold Godwinson?
King Harald Hardrada of Norway?
Duke William of Normandy?

6. 1066: Norman Invasion and Conquest
January 5: Edward dies
January 6: Harold Godwinson crowned
September: Harald Hardrada arrives
September 25: Harald Hardrada killed
September: William of Normandy arrives
October 14: Harold Godwinson killed
December 25: William of Normandy crowned

7. Anglo-Saxon Culture Buildings Houses Churches: stone
Small
Wood
Danger of fires
Churches: stone
Large “mead hall” (“feasting hall”)
Mead is honey wine.
The hall provided warmth, safety, and companionship.

8. Anglo-Saxon House
(recreation)

9. Anglo-Saxon Church

10. Anglo-Saxon Mead Hall
(recreation)

11. Political structure (early Anglo-Saxon Age)
Tribal
King—chosen by “witan” (group of advisors)
Warriors
Comitatus
Relationship between king and warriors
Warriors gave king protection.
King gave warriors gold.

12. Religion Paganism Christianity Analogous to Norse beliefs
Týr (Tuesday), Woden (Wednesday), Thor (Thursday), Frigg (Friday)
Christianity
Full-scale conversion began in 597
Augustine—sent by Pope Gregory
Conversion did not occur overnight; Paganism and Christianity lived side-by-side for a while

13. Paganism Christianity
Polytheistic
Focused on this world
Name lives on
Valued pride
Wyrd controls
People read omens
Sacrifices
Monotheistic
Focused on the afterlife
Spirit lives on
Valued humility
God controls
People trusted in God
Prayer

14. Language: Old English Fæder ure þu þe eart on heofonum;
Si þin nama gehalgod
to becume þin rice
gewurþe ðin willa
on eorðan swa swa on heofonum.
urne gedæghwamlican hlaf syle us todæg
and forgyf us ure gyltas
swa swa we forgyfað urum gyltendum
and ne gelæd þu us on costnunge
ac alys us of yfele soþlice

15. Old English Modern English
Fæder ure þu þe eart on heofonum;
Si þin nama gehalgod
to becume þin rice
gewurþe ðin willa
on eorðan swa swa on heofonum.
urne gedæghwamlican hlaf syle us todæg
and forgyf us ure gyltas
swa swa we forgyfað urum gyltendum
and ne gelæd þu us on costnunge
ac alys us of yfele soþlice
Our Father, Who art in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, On earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those who trespass against us, And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil.

16. “Anglo-Saxon” for people and culture
“Old English” for language
Germanic
Inflected (word form more important than word order)

17. Literature Only monks could write Poetry Wrote in scriptoria
Sometimes added commentary
Poetry
Did not rhyme
Alliteration
Stressed syllables

18. Beowulf Began in oral tradition Written down in 8th century
Preserved in one manuscript
Parts damaged by fire
Setting
6th century
What is now Denmark and Sweden

19. The Beowulf Manuscript