1. The Anglo-Saxon Period
British Legends
The Anglo-Saxon Period
Theme: Heroes and Heroism

2. Fold your paper so you have 4 boxes

3. Using these boxes, tell the story of the 3 little pigs; you can write or illustrate the story, but include as many details as possible in the time allotted.
Where is the pigs’ father/mother?
Beowulf is important as a part of the oral history. Anonymous author! Would changes occur? Of course! 3 little pigs is British folktale probably dating back to the Anglo-Saxon period and also has an anonymous author
Where did they get materials?

4. Okay…So what? Oral History—Lessons and entertainment British folktale
Anglo Saxon time period

5. Where did the Anglo-Saxons come from?
Between 800 and 600 B.C., two groups of Celts from southern Europe invaded the British Isles.
Brythons (now spelled “Britons”) settled on the largest Island, Britain.
Gaels, settled on the second largest island, known to us as Ireland.
skt.org.uk

6. Similarities/Differences
Stone Age weapons;
Celts settled onto the largest island of Britain
Gaels settled onto the second largest island of Ireland
Different languages but related within the Celtic family. Similarities of grammar, sound, structure, and vocabulary.

7. The Celts farmers and hunters organized themselves into clans
clans had fearsome loyalty to chieftains
looked to priests, known as Druids, to settle their disputes
meekon5.blogspot.com; no unity in the kingdom; what does this tell you? Druids often considered “magical” throughout history—religion and magic intertwined.

8. Clans
Tight knit with loyalty to their chief. Look to Druids (group of priests) to settle arguments.
They presided over religious rituals and also memorized and recited long, heroic poems. This preserved the myths of the past.

9. Celtic Druids
Believed to have begun literature. .

10. Where did the Anglo-Saxons come from?
Roman conquest of Britain AD 43
Britain annexed as a province in the Roman Empire
Difficult to control such a large piece of land
Brought Christianity to Britain around AD 300
Pagan vs. Christian themes throughout; never fully indoctrinated at this time
The last Romans left around 407 A.D.
Needed to defend against rebelling European countries; England left to its own devices

12. Celtic Druids
Literature began not with books, but with spoken verse. Purpose was to pass along history and values to a population that mostly could not write or read. The reciting of poems often occurred on ceremonial occasions, such as the celebration of a military victory.

13. Roman Empire
1up.com; Romans had organization the Celts lacked; this pushes the weaker culture out—see assimilation and absorption and mixing of cultures.

14. Roman Gatehouse in Britain Arbeia
online-archaeology.co.uk, aquariusguesthouse.info; House garrison and guarded the entracne to the river Tyne near Newcastle; why would the river need to be guarded?

16. Entertainment in words by Minstrels, Gleemen, Scops… supposedly recited with harp.
Caesura-mid-line pause
Alliteration-repetition of consonant sound
Kenning-phrase replaces concrete noun
Four-beat line
Stock Epithets-adj. that point out special traits of particular person
Reversal of word order

17. Spoken word
Heroic poetry-recounting of the achievements of warriors involved in battle
Elegaic poetry-sorrowful laments that mourn the death of loved ones
Created the RUNES

18. Left behind Camps=Castras
Roman invasion
Romans conquered Britain in 55 BC and again sporadically over the following years.
Left behind Camps=Castras

19. Castras Looking at your map: Lancaster Winchester
Normally located on the main roadway, also something left behind by the Romans.
CASTRAS=caster, chester, ceister.
Later formed into towns.

20. Where did the Anglo-Saxons come from? Also known as the DARK AGES
449AD 3 Germanic tribes (Angles, Saxons, and Jutes) invade.
Destruction of Roman influence, including Christianity
New land: “Angle-land”
- small tribal kingdoms
- no written language
- supported themselves through farming and hunting
Evolution of the language; linguistically; lack of unity again leaves theme vulnerable, but they do begin to destroy the Roman influence

21. Anglo Saxon King and Warrior early 7th century
essentialnormanconquest.com

22. An Anglo-Saxon Hall
West stow: a reconstructed site from 1972 by revising the post holse from the original site

23. An Anglo-Saxon Farmstead
Remember the 3 little pigs…
West Stow: reconstructed village

24. Sutton Hoo Burial site discovered in 1939
Important links to Anglo-Saxon world and Beowulf
Remains of a boat were discovered and large burial chamber containing numerous artifacts
Artifacts suggest a distinctly Christian element intermingled with pagan ritual.

26. Transferred their tribal units.
Tribes were ruled by witans, council of elders.
Still of pagan belief…grim look at life.
Every human life was in the hands of Fate. Whatever was meant to happen, was already planned. No human can determine his or her path.
Eventually, worshipped Germanic gods:
Tiu-god of war and sky
Woden-chief of gods
Fria-Woden’s wife and goddess of home
weekdays

27. The Reemergence of Christianity
596AD: attempt to convert Anglo- Saxons to Christianity
597AD: Saint Augustine
converted King Ethelbert of Kent to Christianity.
set up a monastery in Canterbury in Kent.
650AD: most of England is Christian; some hold on to previous beliefs
The church provided counsel to quarreling rulers in efforts to unify the English people.
At this time, the British Isles were not unified and included separate kingdoms with separate rulers. They fought continuously over the fertile, green land
Roman Cleric St. Augustine, (not the early Christian Church father) arrived in southeast England; Romans return stronger than before and force Saxons north; we see Canterbury show up in other works; The Chruch becomes a stand in for the gov’t. A long standing tradition in England—Church of England is still a big part of the gov’t. This again sets up more conflict

28. Constant Conflict 9th Century: Remember the 3 little pigs…
Norway invaded Northumbria (Anglo-Saxon kingdom in northern and central England), Scotland, Wales, and Ireland.
The Danes of Denmark targeted eastern and southern England
Destroyed manuscripts
Burned and plundered homes
Remember the 3 little pigs…

29. Alfred the Great King of Wessex 871-899
866—resisted Danish intrusion and earned “the great” title
Saxons acknowledged Danish rule in East and North
Danes respected Saxon rule in South
End of 10th Century—Danes want to widen Danelaw
Forced Saxons to select Danish Kings
1042—Kingship returned to Alfred the Great’s descendent Edward
Edward the Confessor died in His death led to the end of the Anglo-Saxon Period.
He was great because he did keep some peace and wee see greed as a basic human instinct at this pont

30. Literature of Anglo-Saxon Times
2 major influences
1) Germanic Traditions of the Anglo-Saxons
2) Christian Traditions of the Roman Church
Denmark, Germany, Sweden
Mixed with the literature and the Celts etc are all influence because of language—3 little pigs story has changed and applies to the concepts we’ll see in this unit.
Remember the 3 little pigs…

31. 1) Germanic Traditions of the Anglo-Saxons
Germanic language
– Mixture of various Germanic dialects + Old English
– Old English (often looks like a foreign language)

32. Page of Beowulf manuscript in Old English
Listen to me!
Monks worked as scribes, recording and duplicating manuscripts, by hand. At first only in Latin, the language of the church.
Venerable Bede, “Father of English History,” was a master of thorough research, tracking of information by studying earlier documents and interviewing people. Wrote “A History of the English Church and People.”

33. Heroic Ideals Dominate
Warrior culture
– Poems and stories depict a society like the Anglo-Saxons
• Military and tribal loyalties
• Bravery of warriors
• Generosity of rulers
Oral tradition
– Songs and stories often sung and told about the valiant struggles of heroic warriors
More than just entertainment – provided a model for living and a form of immortality they could aspire to
Note: all of these provided the foundation for early written literature in Old English

34. Anglo-Saxon Literature cont.
Anglo-Saxon poetry falls mainly into two categories:
Heroic poetry – recounts the achievements of warriors
Elegiac poetry – laments the deaths of loved ones and the loss of the past
Beowulf is the most famous example of heroic poetry.
ORAL TRADITION—the focused of our unit here; we’ll start with Beo—bear; Wulf—wolf—animal symbolism

35. The Beowulf Poet Christian; reflects established tradition
Allusions to the Old Testament
Beowulf is a Redeemer who is sent by God to save man from sin:
Christ archetype: Correspondences between Beowulf’s death and the death of Christ
The price of salvation is life itself

36. Epic Beowulf: Unknown author
The national epic of England (first work to be composed in English)
A long heroic poem, about a great legendary warrior renowned for his courage, strength, and dignity.

37. Epic Elements
Most epics are serious in tone and lofty in style, a technique meant to convey the importance of the events. Long speeches by the characters suggest an impressive formality.
Use of kennings

38. Epic Elements Epic Element Definition As seen in … Epic Element
Epic Hero
 the central character of an epic. This character is a larger-than-life figure, typically of noble or semi-divine birth, who pits his courage, skill, and virtue against opposing, often evil, forces. 
Quest
a long, dangerous journey or mission undertaken by the epic hero. The quest is the hero’s opportunity to prove his heroism and win honor and undying renown.
Valorous deeds
 long, dangerous journey or mission undertaken by the epic hero. The quest is the hero’s opportunity to prove his heroism and win honor and undying renown.
Divine intervention
 In many epics, the hero receives help from a god or another supernatural force who takes an interest in his quest.
Great events
 Important events from the history or mythology of a nation or culture often provide the backdrop for the epic narrative.
Epic Element
Definition
As seen in …
Epic Hero
Quest
Valorous deeds
Divine intervention
Great events
Homework! Page 34-35

39. Heroic Values in Beowulf
Relationship between king and his warriors
The king rewards his warriors with gifts
If a kinsman is slain, obligation to kill the slayer or obtain payment (wergeld) in compensation

40. Conflict Christian Values and Heroic Values
This tension is at the heart of the poem
Pagan history and myth are made to point to a Christian moral
Beowulf is poised between two value systems

41. The Epic Hero Defeats his enemies using
A man of high social status whose fate affects the destiny of his people
The Epic Hero
Defeats his enemies using
Physical strength
Skill as a warrior
Nobility of character
Quick wits
Is not modest – boasting is a ritual
Embodies the ideals and values of his people
Is eager for fame
Because the Germanic tribes believed death was inevitable, warriors sought fame to preserve the memory of their deeds after death

42. Epic Hero Cycle Element Example
The main character is a hero, who is often possessed of super natural abilities or qualities (STATUS QUO)
The hero is charged with a quest (call to Adventure)
“Crossing the Threshold” Moving from the known to the unknown (DEPARTURE)
The hero is tested, often to prove the worthiness of himself and his quest
PHYSICAL, MENTAL, EMOTIONAL (TRIALS)
The presence of numerous mythical beings, magical and helpful animals, and/or human helpers and companions
The hero’s travels take him to a supernatural world, often one that normal human beings are barred from entering
The cycle must reach a low point where the hero nearly gives up his quest or appears defeated (APPROACH, CRISIS)
A resurrection (TREASURE)
Achieving the goal or the “boon” (RESULT)
Restitution. Often this takes the form of the hero regaining his rightful place on the throne. Return to the ordinary world (RETURN/NEW LIFE)
Applying the “boon” (RESULUTION/STATUS QUO)
Epic Hero Cycle

43. Are Modern Super Heroes Epic?
Using the profile provided to your group and your own prior knowledge fill out the epic hero cycle chart for the super hero, then answer the question at the bottom of the page using the chart to back up your opinion.

44. HELP! I need somebody!
Think of a time when you helped someone in need or someone helped you OR a time when you did NOT render help and wish you had. Give a brief summary of the incident then answer the following analysis questions:
What was your/their motivation (why was help rendered?)?
What was the result?
What would have happened if help was not rendered?
Did anyone else offer help? Why/why not?