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Anglo saxon period and poetry

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Anglo-Saxon Period Anglo-Saxon Period and Poetry and Poetry 449 – 1066 A.D. 449 – 1066 A.D.
Transcript
Page 1: Anglo saxon period and poetry

Anglo-Saxon Period and Anglo-Saxon Period and PoetryPoetry

449 – 1066 A.D.449 – 1066 A.D.

Page 2: Anglo saxon period and poetry

BeowulfBeowulf

Written in old EnglishWritten in old English Oldest epic narrative in any modern Oldest epic narrative in any modern

European tongueEuropean tongue Unknown authorshipUnknown authorship Unsure of the precise date of Unsure of the precise date of

composition, but may date from the composition, but may date from the early 8early 8thth century century

Page 3: Anglo saxon period and poetry

Beowulf’s Beowulf’s CreationCreation

Composed in the oral poetic tradition , but Composed in the oral poetic tradition , but whether it was originally written or oral is whether it was originally written or oral is not knownnot known

Composed by a single Christian author for Composed by a single Christian author for a Christian audience in Anglo-Saxon a Christian audience in Anglo-Saxon EnglandEngland

Gives an excellent understanding of the Gives an excellent understanding of the spirit and embodiment of heroic epic spirit and embodiment of heroic epic traditiontradition

Page 4: Anglo saxon period and poetry

History of the PeriodHistory of the Period

Native Celts Native Celts originally inhabited originally inhabited the islandthe island

Romans inhabited Romans inhabited England for 300 England for 300 yearsyears

Made slow progress Made slow progress with roadswith roads

Celts and Romans Celts and Romans continued side by continued side by sideside

Celts had no Celts had no written languagewritten language

The first to write The first to write their tales were the their tales were the Anglo-SaxonsAnglo-Saxons

Romans withdrew Romans withdrew about 400 A.D.about 400 A.D.

Page 5: Anglo saxon period and poetry

Hadrian’s WallHadrian’s WallHadrian’s WallHadrian’s Wall

117km long

5m high

Page 6: Anglo saxon period and poetry

History of Period (cont’d)History of Period (cont’d)

Period begins when Period begins when first Jutes first Jutes (Denmark), the (Denmark), the Angles (hookmen), Angles (hookmen), and the Saxons and the Saxons (swordsmen) came (swordsmen) came in wavesin waves

Celts were driven Celts were driven to Wales and to Wales and IrelandIreland

Ends with the Ends with the Norman invasion in Norman invasion in 10661066

Anglo-Saxons were Anglo-Saxons were hardy and athletic, hardy and athletic, wandering and wandering and seafaring tribes, seafaring tribes, semi barbarous and semi barbarous and paganpagan

Also faithful, earnest, Also faithful, earnest, brave, and liked brave, and liked action and fightingaction and fighting

Page 7: Anglo saxon period and poetry

How Did Anglo-Saxons Live?How Did Anglo-Saxons Live?

After a hunt or After a hunt or battle, the battle, the followers of a followers of a chieftain or king chieftain or king would meet in the would meet in the mead hall or mead hall or banquet room of banquet room of the chieftain’s the chieftain’s living quartersliving quarters

Page 8: Anglo saxon period and poetry

Mead HallMead Hall

In many villages, this In many villages, this was the central place was the central place where the men would where the men would gather to argue the gather to argue the ways to meet a crisis ways to meet a crisis or deal with a or deal with a situation in the villagesituation in the village

Hrothgar’s was called Hrothgar’s was called Heorot or Hall of Heorot or Hall of HornsHorns

Page 9: Anglo saxon period and poetry

Mead Hall (cont’d)Mead Hall (cont’d)

Men would gather Men would gather at the tables to eat at the tables to eat and drink mead and drink mead (alcoholic beverage (alcoholic beverage made with malt made with malt and honey)and honey)

Chieftain and scop Chieftain and scop (village poet) sat at (village poet) sat at one end of the hallone end of the hall

Hall was a long hall, Hall was a long hall, possibly a whole possibly a whole building, with a long building, with a long trench down the trench down the middle in which middle in which fires were builtfires were built

Long tables were Long tables were set on either side of set on either side of the trenchthe trench

Page 10: Anglo saxon period and poetry

ScopsScops

Regaled warriors Regaled warriors with tales of deed with tales of deed of bravery and of bravery and heroism heroism accompanied accompanied usually by a small usually by a small hand-held harphand-held harp

Page 11: Anglo saxon period and poetry

GovernmentGovernment

Decisions for a Decisions for a village were usually village were usually done at “town done at “town meeting” or meeting” or “folkmoots”, where “folkmoots”, where every able-bodied every able-bodied man had a sayman had a say

Might elect a war Might elect a war chief, but even a chief, but even a King was elected by King was elected by the village malesthe village males

King was selected for King was selected for his family connections his family connections as well as his abilitiesas well as his abilities

He would gather He would gather followers about him followers about him (thanes) to whom he (thanes) to whom he gave protection and gave protection and allegianceallegiance

Thanes in turn Thanes in turn watched over watched over farmlands and farmlands and collected taxescollected taxes

Page 12: Anglo saxon period and poetry

Christianity

Christianity came to England in 597 when Augustine was sent by Pope Gregory to share the faith

Founded the 1st church in Canterbury

Became the 1st Archbishop of Canterbury

Page 13: Anglo saxon period and poetry

So what next . . .So what next . . .

We will read a poem about Beowulf, an We will read a poem about Beowulf, an epic English hero, and his struggles with epic English hero, and his struggles with 3 monsters: Grendel, Grendel’s mother, 3 monsters: Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and a fire-breathing dragon. and a fire-breathing dragon.


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