ANGLO-SAXON AND MEDIEVAL PERIODS

The Brief History of England

INTRODUCTION Beowulf was written in the Anglo-Saxon era.

Around the year 525.

Literature was transmitted orally instead of in writing. Runic alphabet did exist - only used for inscriptions. Beowulf was result of storytelling

TOPICS OF DISCUSSION

Brief history of the Anglo-Saxon and Medieval periods.

Literary History

Feudalism

Development of language

PRE-HISTORICAL/PRE-ROMAN

The island we know as England - occupied by a race of people called the Celts.

One of the tribes was called Brythons or Britons (where we get the term Britain).

PRE-HISTORICAL/PRE-ROMAN (CON’T)

Celts were pagans - believed in “animism,” from the Latin word spirits

Druids were their priestsRole: Go between the gods and the people

Early England Created by ThreeEarly England Created by ThreeInvasionsInvasions

1. Roman Occupation 55 B.C.-410 A.D.

2. Anglo-Saxon andVikingInvasions 410– 1066 A.D.

3. TheNormanInvasion(TheBattle ofHastings)in 1066A.D.

LATINLATIN

GERMAN(IC)GERMAN(IC)

FRENCHFRENCH

AND THEN THE ROMANS CAME…

Romans invaded in 55 B.C. Conquered the Celts in A.D. 43 Eventually left the island in A.D. 407

IMPORTANT RESULTS FROM ROMAN OCCUPATION Military - Strong armed forces (“legions”) Pushed the Celts into Wales and Ireland Prevented the Vikings from raiding for several hundred years

Infrastructure - Government fell apart when they left

Language and Writing - Latin official language This is why English language is strongly based in Latin

Religion - Mainly Christianity

The Anglo-Saxon PeriodThe Anglo-Saxon Period410-787410-787

IMPORTANT EVENTS IN THE FIRST ANGLO-SAXON PERIOD 410-450 - Angles and Saxons invade from Baltic shores of Germany

Nine Anglo-Saxon kingdoms eventually became the Anglo-Saxon heptarchy

ANGLO-SAXON HEPTARCHY

Heptarchy = Seven KingdomsKentEssexSussexEast AngliaNorthumbriaMerciaWessex

AND THEN THE VIKINGS CAME… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvH6IyS2nps

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MV5w262XvCU

VIKING INVASIONS (787-1066) Were sea-faring (explorers, traders, warriors)

Viking raids began around 787

Led to many cultural changes...

IMPORTANT RESULTS FROM VIKINGS

Politically/Culturally - still unstable - no central government or church Linguistically - The English language is “born” and is known as Old EnglishLots of dialects of the language due to the seven kingdoms

NORMAN INVASION (1066): BEGIN MEDIEVAL ERA

Battle of Hastings - the Normans (powerful Norman Frenchmen) defeated the English and started a conquest of England

Two most important effects:French becomes official language of politics and power; thus, enormous influence on Old English

England begins unifying under a French political system, much of which is still with us today

THE FEUDAL ERA…

FEUDALISM (1100 TO 1485)

Social system seen as a pyramid

King is at the top (peak of the pyramid)

Below the king are carefully graded steps consisting of noblemen, freemen and knights

Lowest tier (or step) are the serfs (peasant class)

A Short History of OurA Short History of OurLanguageLanguage

—or——or—“How English got to be so hard to study,“How English got to be so hard to study,but is still so beautiful to hear and read”but is still so beautiful to hear and read”

Quick History of English LanguageQuick History of English Language Old English (OE) dates from approximately*Old English (OE) dates from approximately*

400 A.D. to 1066400 A.D. to 1066 Middle English (ME) dates from approximatelyMiddle English (ME) dates from approximately

1066-14851066-1485 They are quite different to the eye and ear. OldThey are quite different to the eye and ear. Old

English is nearly impossible to read orEnglish is nearly impossible to read orunderstand without studying it much like andunderstand without studying it much like andEnglish speaker today would study French, Latin,English speaker today would study French, Latin,or Chineseor Chinese

*The dating of the beginnings of OE is difficult; scholars only havewritten texts in OE beginning in around 700 A.D., but peoples inEngland must have been speaking a version of OE prior to worksbeing written in the vernacular (as opposed to Latin)

Another Way of Looking at the History ofAnother Way of Looking at the History ofEnglishEnglish

It is a truth universally acknowledged,It is a truth universally acknowledged,that a single man in possession of athat a single man in possession of agood fortune must be in want of a wife.good fortune must be in want of a wife.

AustenAusten

(from (from P&PP&P))

1800-1800-presentpresent

ModernModernEnglishEnglish

“Sir, I “Sir, I loueloue you more than words you more than wordscan can weildweild ye matter” (EMnE) = ye matter” (EMnE) =

“Sir, I love you more than word can“Sir, I love you more than word canwield the matter” (wield the matter” (MnEMnE))

ShakespeareShakespeare

(from (from KLKL))

1485-18001485-1800Early ModernEarly ModernEnglishEnglish

““WhanWhan that that AprilleAprille with his with his shouresshouressootesoote . . . ” (ME) = . . . ” (ME) =

“When that April with its sweet“When that April with its sweetshowers . . .” (showers . . .” (MnEMnE))

ChaucerChaucer

(from (from CTCT))

1066-14851066-1485Middle EnglishMiddle English

““GaæþGaæþ a a wyrdwyrd swaswa hiohio scelscel” (OE)” (OE)

==

“Fate goes ever as it must” (“Fate goes ever as it must” (MnEMnE))

BeowulfBeowulf

(from(fromBeowulfBeowulf!)!)

400-1066400-1066Old EnglishOld English

OE=Old English ME=Middle English EMnE=Early Modern EnglishMnE=Modern English

TERMS FOR OLD ENGLISH LITERATURE AND BEOWULF: Lyric: a short poem wherein the poet expresses an emotion or illuminates some life principal (poem “The Wanderer”)

Elegy: a lyric poem lamenting death (“The Wanderer”)

Caesuras: a pause within a line of poetry, which may or may not be to affect the metrical count

Kennings: two-worded poetic renaming of people, places, and things (ex: “Whales’ home” instead of Sea or Ocean)

EPICS AND SUCH…TERMS CONT’D Epic: long narrative poem that recounts the adventures of a legendary hero in pursuit of a goal of national importance (ex: The Odyssey, Gilgamesh)

Folk Epics: In ancient times, stories about heroes were recited or sung as entertainment and then passed down orally over several generations. They were then written down long after they were first composed (Gilgamesh, Beowulf)

Literary Epics: Written down by one author, drawing from the style of the folk epics (The Odyssey by Homer, The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri)

FACTS ABOUT EPICS… Epic Hero: Central character in an Epic; usually larger than life, noble or divine birth, courageous, skilled with all manner of weaponry, virtuous, good looking (traditional hero!!! Ex: Brad Pitt as Achilles in Troy )

Quest (HRLLP): long, dangerous journey undertaken by the hero

Valorous Deeds: Actions that demonstrate the hero’s courage, strength and/or virtue

Divine Intervention: When the Hero receives help from a god or supernatural being

In media res: Latin for “in the middle of things.” Many epics, including Beowulf, begin in medias res.

Boasting: Epic heroes LOVED to boast about their valorous deeds….they’d list them off like a resume!

Transition to Transition to BeowulfBeowulf The major text we will read from this period is the epic Beowulf.The major text we will read from this period is the epic Beowulf.

It is the story of a Scandinavian (It is the story of a Scandinavian (GeatGeat) “thane” (warrior or) “thane” (warrior orknight) who comes to help a neighboring tribe, the Danes, whoknight) who comes to help a neighboring tribe, the Danes, whoare being attacked by a monster.are being attacked by a monster.

We study English history to understand the context of We study English history to understand the context of BeowulfBeowulf,,and we study and we study BeowulfBeowulf to understand the world which was Old to understand the world which was OldEngland.England.

According to Venerable Bede (an early English historian whoAccording to Venerable Bede (an early English historian wholived in the eighth century), the Britons called the Romans forlived in the eighth century), the Britons called the Romans forhelp when the help when the PictsPicts and Scots were attacking them (B.C.). and Scots were attacking them (B.C.).Hundreds of years later, the Britons called the Saxons to helpHundreds of years later, the Britons called the Saxons to helpthem when the Romans couldn’t. The Saxons came “from partsthem when the Romans couldn’t. The Saxons came “from partsbeyond the sea” (beyond the sea” (qtdqtd. in . in PylesPyles and and AlgeoAlgeo 96). 96).

This journey of Germanic peoples to England “from partsThis journey of Germanic peoples to England “from partsbeyond the sea” is the prototypical story for the first millenniumbeyond the sea” is the prototypical story for the first millenniumof England’s history. It formulates much of their culturalof England’s history. It formulates much of their culturalmindset and clearly influences their stories. Be sure to considermindset and clearly influences their stories. Be sure to considerhow it plays a role in how it plays a role in BeowulfBeowulf..

BEOWULF MAIN CHARACTERSBeowulf: The protagonist of the epic, Beowulf is a Geatish hero who fights the monster Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and a fire-breathing dragon. Beowulf’s boasts and encounters reveal him to be the strongest, ablest warrior around. In his youth, he personifies all of the best values of the heroic culture. In his old age, he proves a wise and effective ruler.

Hrothgar: The king of the Danes. Hrothgar enjoys military success and prosperity until Grendel terrorizes his realm. A wise and aged ruler, Hrothgar represents a different kind of leadership from that exhibited by the youthful warrior Beowulf. He is a father figure to Beowulf and a model for the kind of king that Beowulf

Wiglaf: A young kinsman and retainer of Beowulf who helps him in the fight against the dragon while all of the other warriors run away. Wiglaf adheres to the heroic code better than Beowulf’s other retainers, thereby proving himself a suitable successor to Beowulf.

THE MONSTERS

Grendel: A demon descended from Cain, Grendel preys on Hrothgar’s warriors in the king’s mead-hall, Heorot. Because his ruthless and miserable existence is part of the retribution exacted by God for Cain’s murder of Abel, Grendel fits solidly within the ethos of vengeance that governs the world of the poem.

Grendel’s Mother: An unnamed swamp-hag, Grendel’s mother seems to possess fewer human qualities than Grendel, although her terrorization of Heorot is explained by her desire for vengeance—a human motivation.

The Dragon: An ancient, powerful serpent, the dragon guards a horde of treasure in a hidden mound. Beowulf’s fight with the dragon constitutes the third and final part of the epic.