1. Anglo Saxon Literature (449—1066)

2. II. Anglo Saxon Literature
Introduction to British Literature
1. The Epic = Big
Big, long poem
Big characters
Big Themes

3. 3. The Personality of England
a. Timeline of British Literature and Thought
l____l_____l_____l___l___l___l___l___
Anglo Medieval Rennais Reason Rom Victor Mod. Anxiety
Saxon

4. b. Britain’s Island Personality
Strongly independent
Individual freedom—
Anglo-Saxon heritage
worth of the individual)
Strongly traditional – _____ system (medieval)

5. B. Anglo Saxon Literature

6. I. Anglo Saxon Literature (449—1066)
Introduction—Historical and Philosophical Background
1. Germanic invasions (Britons [Celts] conquered by Romans—Romans leave—Germanic barbarians invade
a. Angles
b. Saxons
c. Jutes

7. Germanic Invasions of the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes

8. Anglo Saxon Literature
Primitive Heroic Ideal
a. Ideal of Kingly
behavior
b. The Warrior ideals
c. Goal—win enduring
fame

9. A. Intro to Anglo Saxon Literature
Old English Poetry
a. written literature in England begins in
7th century
b. Before that—the scop
oral and memorized

10. A. Intro to Anglo Saxon Literature
c. Mead, mead halls, and mead hall lifestyle

11. A. Intro to Anglo Saxon Literature
d. The Spirit of Old English Poetry
1. dark world; little humor; warrior life
2. style (no “romantic” poetry)
3. but—OE poetry had:
--extraordinary intensity, beauty, truth
--subtle and intense depiction of the nature

12. A. Intro to Anglo Saxon Literature
5. Style of Literature—A--S Literary Techniques
alliteration
kenning
caesura
rhythm

13. B. Beowulf: the earliest epic poem in English

14. B. Beowulf (introduction)
1. Beowulf is a profound mixture of two sets of values
a. Anglo Saxon Heroic
Ideal
b. Christian Morality and God

15. 2. Meanings in Beowulf Surface level
b. Not just about feuds but about a deeper
sense of evil—what does Beowulf say about evil?
--the symbolism of the monster

16. 2. Meanings in Beowulf (con’t.)
C. What does Beowulf say about the Heroic Ideal?
--bravery is the instrument by
which the hero realizes
himself
--Hrothgar compared to
Beowulf—shows what?
--Beowulf meets his doom but
not before he shows his
courage and character

17. 2. Meanings in Beowulf Philosophical level
--what does Beowulf say about:
fate (wyrd)?
--sense of doom
knowledge of death
bravery and courage

18. 2. Meanings in Beowulf Psychological / archetypal level
1. The hero’s journey (the monomyth)
2. What does Beowulf say about being human?

19. Setting and Characters
Herot—
Hrothgar—
Beowulf—
Grendel

20. 3. Setting and Characters
Grendel’s mother—
Swamp--
Dragon—
Wiglaf--

21. 4. Symbolism in Beowulf Psychological (swamp, Grendel, mother, dragon)
Social
(Hrothgar, Beowulf,
Herot)
Universal (G., G.’s mother,
the dragon, the treasure,
the tower

22. 5. Conclusion
The Anglo Saxon people, like all people, were much like us, dealing with—
--a dangerous and seemingly uncaring world
--what being human means
--what living with bravery and honor means
--battling the monsters that endanger us
They were our grand—parents who lived in difficult times with pride and courage.