Anglo-Saxon Background

1
Anglo-Saxon Background

• 449 - 1485
• Known as Dark Ages because of the barbaric
  nature of the people. Known as a time of bloody
  conflicts, ignorance, violence, and barbarism.

2
England

• Part of an island that includes Scotland and
  Wales (Ireland is a separate island to the west
  of England)
• As a whole the countries today are known as the
  United Kingdom of Great Britain (UK)
• Modern culture primarily the result of a series
  of invasions from many other European
  cultures/countries, Rome, France, the Vikings,
  Germanic tribes, et.al.
• Two of the most important things the US inherited
  from England Language and Law (US Constitution
  based on democratic concept of the Magna Carta)

3
Modern Great Britain
4
Timeline of British History

• 2000 B.C.Stonehenge
• 1500-1000 B.C.Celts arrive in England
• 55 b.c-410 A.D. Roman occupation
• 450Jutes, Angles, Saxon arrive
• 597St. Augustine brings Christian revival
• 500-600Historical King Arthur in Celtic Wales
• 707Beowulf written
• 790sDanish (Viking) raids
• 1066The Battle of Hastings (Norman conquest)

5
Anglo-Saxon Period

• Anglo-Saxon England was born of warfare,
  remained forever a military society, and came to
  its end in battle. - J.R. Lander
• In a society dominated by aggression, what would
  you expect to be the Anglo-Saxon attitude toward
  family life, the role of women, art, literature,
  ethics and work?

6
Characteristics of the Period

• Life was incredibly difficult
• Enormous upheaval and change in England
• Reigns of some of the most famous and infamous
  kings (i.e. Alfred the Great)
• Time of disastrous wars, both internal and
  external
• Time of foreign invasion
• Time of painful reconsolidation and emergence of
  England as a nation

7
People of England Angles and Saxons

• invaders from Germany and northern Europe in 449
  A.D.
• Celts retreated primarily into Wales
• Anglo-Saxon troops took over area and named it
  Angle-land, or England
• Most of the men were deep sea fishermen and
  farmers
• Greatest Anglo-Saxon king was Alfred the Great
  (died 899 AD)
• -began unification of Anglo-Saxon England into
  one country (through defense against the Vikings
  and language)
• - began a running history called the Anglo-Saxon
  Chronicle
• -had Bedes Ecclesiastical History of the
  English People translated into English

8
Centuries of Invasions

• The 790s brought the next round of invaders the
  Vikings a fearsome group of seafaring marauders
  from the coasts of Denmark.
• The Vikings looted, killed, and burned down
  entire villages.
• In the South, the Danes finally met Alfred the
  Great, who lead the unified England to destroy
  the Vikings, and the under his rule the land
  began to flourish.

9
Centuries of Invasions (contd)

• In 1042, a descendant of Alfred the Great took
  the throne, Edward the Confessor. He continued
  Alfreds battle against the Vikings until his
  death.
• The last successful invasion of the island of
  Britain came in 1066 and was known as the Norman
  Conquest where William the Conqueror finally
  drove out the last of the Vikings and was crowned
  the King of England.
• The Norman Conquest ended Anglo-Saxon dominance
  in England a new class of privileged Normans
  took their place.

10
Anglo-Saxon Culture - Life

• dominated by warfare
• main responsibilities of leader were protection
  and maintaining law and order
• Most time spent in the Mead Hall (bars)
• success (material and fame) was achieved through
  loyalty to leader and prowess in battle
• Literature was a way to escape reality or to give
  a lord/thane immortality
• Thanes (men who fought for a king or lord)
• Believed in COMITATUSallegiance between a lord
  and thane code of honor
• The lord leads his thanes and provides for them
• Thanes never outshine their lord in battle
• Thanes never desert their lord during battle

11
Anglo Saxon Civilization

• Common language
• Shared a heroic ideal set of traditional heroes
• Admired men of outstanding courage
• Loyalty to leader and tribe
• Fierce personal valor
• Rulers generous to those who remained loyal
• Shortness of life passing of all things in the
  world

12
Anglo-Saxon Religion

• Like all cultures, that of the Anglo-Saxons
  changed over time. The early invaders were
  wanderers whose lives were bleak, violent, and
  short.
• Strong Pagan religion was marked by a strong
  belief in wyrd, or fate.
• Their belief offered little hope so Christianity
  opened up a bright new possibility

13
Christianity

• First Christian missionaries (thought to be
  Roman) arrived in Britain around 300 A.D.
• Most important missionary was St. Augustine who
  arrived in 597 A.D.
• Founded cathedral of Canterbury and became the
  first Archbishop of Canterbury
• Even though Christianity spread rapidly through
  England, people retained many Pagan customs and
  beliefs and remained this way for many years
• Monasteries became centers of intellectual,
  literary, artistic, and social activity
• Greatest of the Christian monks was Venerable
  Bede (c. 673-735)

14
Anglo-Saxon Literature

• Was originally oral - passed in the form of epics
  which praised the deeds of heroic warriors and
  provided a measure of immortality.
• Professional storytellers/poets were called
  scops, which held honored positions because they
  preserved fame fame life after death. They
  told history lessons, moral sermons, etc.
• Monasteries began recording Anglo-Saxon
  literature in Latin and it began to evolve into
  Old English
• Two important traditions
• heroic tradition celebrates heroes
• elegiac tradition passing of earlier, better
  times

15
The Epic of Beowulf

• Probably composed between 700 750
• One of few pieces that survived and most
  famous.
• Priests and monks were the only ones who could
  write stories survival depended upon them. Most
  of the epics were told orally which explains the
  superhuman qualities.

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The Epic of Beowulf (Cont)

• In more than 3,000 lines, Beowulf relates the
  tale of a heroic warrior who battles monsters and
  dragons to protect the people.
• The church was not too eager to preserve
  literature that was Pagan in nature, so
  historians believe they either ignored or changed
  it. This may account for the mixture of
  Christian and Pagan elements in Beowulf

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The Epic of Beowulf (Cont)

• The epic is generally defined A long narrative
  poem on a great and serious subject, related in
  an elevated style, and centered on a heroic or
  quasi-divine figure on whose actions depends the
  fate of a tribe, a nation, or the human race.
• The hero is a figure of great national or even
  cosmic importance, usually the ideal man of his
  culture.
• The setting is vast in scope.
• Based on historical facts.
• Performing actions that often determine the fate
  of the nation or group of people.

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The Epic of Beowulf (Cont)

• The action consists of deeds of valor or
  superhuman courage (especially in battle).
  Supernatural forces interest themselves in the
  action and intervene at times.
• The style of writing is elevated, even ceremonial
  
• Main characters give extended formal speeches.
• Use of the epic simile and metaphor.
• Use of kennings and stock epithets.

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The Epic of Beowulf (Cont)

• Kennings a compound word, figure of speech,
  substituted for the usual name of a person or
  thing. An example the Almightys enemy and
  sin-stained demon are both kennings used to
  describe the monster Grendel.
• Stock epithets are adjectives used to
  characterize a person, place, or thing. For
  example, in Beowulf God is described as the Lord
  of all Life or the Ruler of glory. They
  provide a brief summary of major characters most
  essential qualities.

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Beowulf Documentary

• History Channels Documentary on the real story
  of Beowulf.
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vTxa97hIYFO4