2. The term Anglo-Saxon refers to the Germanic tribes that primarily controlled Great Brittan during the 5 th century C.E. up until 1066 C.E. Anglo-Saxons spoke a version of English now referred to as “Old English”. They used words and letters we would not recognize today, such as “Camplic” (meaning warfare) or “Haga” (meaning house/home).

4. Anglo-Saxons dressed in wool (peasants), linen (merchant), and silk (nobility) Weapons and armor were made mostly of iron and wood

5. The Anglo-Saxons composed works of a variety of genres These genres included manuscripts, poetry dealing with saints, biblical stories, and other aspects of Christian dogma They also wrote in a form known today as “Heroic Poetry”, which is the form of the story “Beowulf”

6. Examples of Epic Poems include Dante’s Divine Comedy, The Odyssey, The Iliad, Paradise Lost, and Beowulf Stories usually begin in medias res, or in the middle of the action, and focus on a central heroic character (Beowulf, Achilles, Odysseus) Beowulf is one of the earliest examples of this genre

8. The original author of Beowulf is unknown The Nowell Codex, which contains the Beowulf manuscript, has been dated somewhere between the 8 th century C.E. and the 11 th century C.E. The story is set between the 5 th and 7 th century, during a time when Anglo-Saxons were beginning to migrate across Europe and Brittan.

10. The story of Beowulf follows the title character through three distinct battles in his life The first battle is with the monster Grendel (said to be a descendant of Cain) The second battle is with Grendel’s mother The final battle is with an unnamed dragon

11. Beowulf – The story’s main protagonist and hero Ectheow – Beowulf’s father Scyld – King who founded the Danish country Hrothgar – Current king of the Danes Unferth – Challenges Beowulf’s ability Wiglaf – Aids Beowulf in the final battle Grendel/Grendel’s mother – Antagonists of the story, attack the Danes The Dragon – Awoken by a thief, attacks the Geats Thanes – Warriors and citizens that owned land