Post on 30-Dec-2015
transcript
Anglo-Saxons
British Literature
The Celts in Britain
• Celtic religion a form of animism
Before and during the 4th century B.C.
Stonehenge• Druids were Celtic priests
• Britain named for one Celtic tribe—the Brythons
• Britain home to several Celtic tribes
The Roman Occupation
55 B.C. Hadrian’s Wall
Romans evacuate their troops
• Central government breaks down
Julius Caesar invades Britain
Celts defeated by Claudius
A.D. 43
• Romans build walls, villas, baths, roads
Roman ruins
• Britain left vulnerable to attack
A.D. 409
The Anglo-Saxon Invasion
A.D. 449 The Anglo-Saxons push the Celts into the far west of the country.
Angles
Saxons
Jutes
Celts
The Anglo-Saxon Invasion
Anglo-Saxon Society
• kinship groups led by strong warrior chief
• people farmed, established local governments, produced fine craftwork
• English emerged as a written language
Page from Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
The Anglo-Saxon Invasion
Old English
The Anglo-Saxon religion
• offered no hope of an afterlife• valued earthly virtues of bravery, loyalty,
generosity, and friendship
• similar to what we call Norse mythology
ThunorThor
WodenOdin
Day of weekAnglo-Saxon godNorse god
Wednesday
Thursday
The Anglo-Saxon Invasion
• Anglo-Saxons did not believe in afterlife
• warriors gained immortality through songs
Why were the scops important?
The Anglo-Saxon bards• called scops –oral storytelling
Anglo-Saxon harp
• strummed harp as they sang• sang of heroic deeds• were often warriors
The Anglo-Saxon Storytelling
8th–9th centuries
Vikings called Danes invade Britain
King Alfred against the Danes
878 King Alfred unifies Anglo-Saxons against the Danes.
871 Alfred of Wessex is king of England.
England becomes a nation.King Sweyn and his Danish troops
arrive in England, from a manuscript (c. 14th century)
• Christianity and Anglo-Saxon culture co-exist
The Spread of Christianity
• Christian monks settle in Britain
• British pagan religions replaced by Christianity
Around A.D. 400
By A.D. 699
• William of Normandy crosses the English Channel
The Norman Invasion
The Norman Invasion, Bayeux Tapestry
• French replaces English as the language of the ruling class
1066
• William defeats Harold and Anglo-Saxon army
Moving On…
• Now that we have learned about the Anglo-Saxons, it’s time to delve a little deeper into other aspects of life during the Anglo-Saxon period.
• Go on an archeological “dig” for Anglo-Saxon artifacts…
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/primaryhistory/anglo_saxons/
• Click on “Play the Game” and complete-be sure to fill in accompanying worksheet.
• Complete the Anglo-Saxon Quest.
Devices used in Anglo-Saxon Poetry
Alliterationand Kennings
Alliteration
• What Is Alliteration?• Alliteration is the repetition of consonant
sounds in words that are close to one another. Alliteration may occur− at the beginnings of words, as in “bright blue”
or “kind comment”− within words, as in “jacket pocket”
Alliteration
• Instead of rhymes, Anglo-Saxon oral poets (SCOPS) used alliteration along with carefully placed pauses to add music and rhythm to their poems.• Lines of Anglo-Saxon verse often are divided
into two halves separated by a rhythmic pause, or caesura.
• Some lines have three alliterative words—two words in the first half before the caesura and one word in the second half.
• Other lines have only two alliterative words—one in each half
What is a Kenning
• A kenning is a metaphorical phrase or compound word used to name a person, place, thing, or event indirectly. • Kennings such as whale-road and battle-dew fill Anglo-Saxon poetry.
• Combining existing words from the relatively small Anglo-Saxon vocabulary helped poets to create alliteration.
• Kennings were memorable, ready-made phrases that bards could reuse and pass on to others.
Kennings Then and Now
• Anglo-Saxon Kennings-• mead-hall• ring-giver• heaven’s high
arch • shapes of
darkness• shepherd of evil
Modern-Day Kennings-
•gas guzzler•queen bee•headhunter•king of the hill•snake in the grass
Uses of Alliteration and Kennings• Anglo-Saxon literature was part of an
oral tradition. Poems, songs, and stories were passed from one generation to another orally.• Anglo-Saxon poets and storytellers used
alliteration and kennings because these devices
• aided memory• created sound effects • pleased the audience
Identify each of the following lines as a use of alliteration or kenning.
1. That DJ is king of the airwaves.2. The large sign loomed above the lonely highway.3. All of the washing machines were taken, so we had to wait. 4. My brother calls his ’78 sedan a land yacht.
Moving On…
• We can now move onto reading some Anglo-Saxon Literature!
• Beowulf• Life in 999: A Grim Struggle• The Seafarer• Anglo-Saxon Riddles
A Review….
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/interactive/timelines/language_timeline/index_embed.shtml
• Click on the animated objects for a taste of Anglo-Saxon life.