Anglo-Saxon Rule: 449 AD-1066 Where are we? England britannica.com/eb -media/27/ D39561D.gif

The Dark Ages  Harsh life  Diseases  Serious people  Little or no humor in their stories and poems  Had tribes  Saw humans as victims of Fate Note: Unless indicated otherwise, the information on these slides comes from our literature book.

PRIOR to the Anglo-Saxons 55BC: Julius Caesar claimed victory (in Scotland before it was Scotland) over Celtic warriors, the Britons, Picts (from the north) and Gaels (from the west), but he returned to Rome and left these people in peace…for now.  100 years later, the Roman army returned and Britain became a province of the Roman Empire.  Side note: Anno Domini (AD or A.D.) and Before Christ (BC or B.C.) are designations used to label or number years used with the Julian and Gregorian calendars. The term Anno Domini is Medieval Latin, translated as In the year of the Lord, and as in the year of Our Lord.

Romans IMPROVED Britain Introduced roads, cities, writing, and eventually in the 300s, Christianity to the people of Britain. Roman rule lasted more than 300 years. The people of the country came to depend on the Roman military for protection. However, in the 5 th century (early 400s), the Romans were called home to protect Rome from invaders (Visigoths: branches of the nomadic tribes of Germanic peoples).

Exposed! Without a central government or an army, Britain became a target for invasion. Here come the Anglo-Saxons! 449 AD  Germanic tribes from northern Europe (Angles and the Saxons) fought the Britons and the Britons were pushed to the west (Cornwall and Wales) and north (Scotland) and even ACROSS the English channel to an area of France called Brittany.

Angle-Land This is how England got its name Angle-ish became English. Their language is what we know today as OLD ENGLISH. From 450 AD-1100, the language is considered OLD English. Examples: heofon = heaven and sawol =soul NEXT INVADERS: THE VIKINGS

Great Britain? United Kingdom? United Kingdom includes England as well as Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. The UNION of Scotland and England (occurred in the 18th century). The two crosses are represented to the left…Scotland and England.

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The Viking Invasion Arrived from the coasts of Denmark and Norway they looted, killed, and burned entire villages. They took over the northern and eastern part of the country. Many relics and items in churches were destroyed. However, in the south, the Vikings were defeated by the Anglo-Saxon king, Alfred the Great. During this time language and culture FLOURISHED under his rule. This is when a record of English history really began.

The Norman Conquest: It had to end: 1066 In 1042: A descendant of Alfred the Great, Edward the Confessor, took the throne. He had no children and he promised, allegedly, to make is French cousin, William, duke of Normandy, his heir. When Edward died, church officials and a council of nobles chose an English earl named Harold to take the throne. Oops…

The Battle of Hastings 1066 In the Battle of Hastings, William, duke of Normandy, killed Harold and was crowned King of England. The Norman Conquest ENDED the Anglo- Saxon dominance in England. Noble families lost their land to the conquerors and sank into peasantry.

EPIC Tradition Long, narrative poems praising the deeds of heroic warriors. Reflected reality of life and its harsh conditions. Inside mead halls, professional poets (scops and bards) chanted the poems and were usually accompanied by a harp. Epic poems were history lessons, moral sermons, pep talks, and they instilled cultural pride.

Epic Tradition, cont’d Oral tradition: these stories were memorized and passed down generation after generation. As literacy spread, the poems were then recorded, very slowly, by hand (scribes).

Characteristics of an Epic Hero 1.Of noble birth or high position; often great historical or legendary importance. 2.Exhibit character traits that reflect important ideals by society. 3.Perform courageous, sometimes superhuman, deeds that reflect the values of the era. 4.Perform actions that often determine the fate of a nation or group of people.

“Beowulf” circa 750 Poem describes events that took place around the 500s, among the Danes (now Denmark) and the Geats (now Sweden). Beowulf is a great warrior among the Geats.

Today’s Scandinavia

Class activity Lines 1-29: Explain the reference to Cain and Abel. Describe where the monster lived. Find two examples of alliteration. What is the setting? Lines 30-59: Give some examples of rising action. Give three synonyms for the word ‘lair.’ Who is Hrothgar? Line 59: In what way has “Hate…triumphed”?

Class Activity Lines 59-78: “Hell-forged hands” is an example of a kenning. Explain why it is a kenning. For how many years did Grendel rule the Danes? Support with a line from the poem. Give an example of rising action. Lines : Give an example of rising action. What did Grendel never dare to touch and why? Explain the possible confusion of the poet when he references God, but then references “sacrificing to the old stone gods” as well. What is going on here?

Class Activity Lines Who is Beowulf? Find two examples of alliteration. How many men did Beowulf take with him? Give some examples of rising action. Summarize Campbell’s Heroic journey up to this point.