This includes the literature of England and surrounding areas, as well as the history of the English language.

English is not a dead language like classical Latin, which hasn’t changed in 2000 years. It is a dynamic, changing language.

There are more than 6,900 known living languages, spoken in the 206 countries of the world. *Only 1/3 of these languages have writing systems!

Yes & No

* Mandarin is spoken by more people in the world than any other language. MANDARIN CHINESE 845 million native speakers 1.2 billion total speakers ENGLISH 375 million native speakers 1.5 billion total speakers * But English is the most widely spoken language, if you mean pure coverage of countries.

* English has a rich history of scientific, technological, and artistic discovery and invention. * English, French, Spanish, and German are all widely studied because of the impact that these countries have had historically on world-wide innovations. * Classical Greek is still studied because of the great civilization preserved and recorded in its literature.

* Beowulf: the only native English heroic epic * Religious poems like “Judith” and “Dream of the Rood” * Lyric poems like “The Wife’s Lament” & “The Seafarer” * We also have some poems, riddles, and charms

Julius Caesar

* The Celts were the original inhabitants of England * Caesar invaded Gaul (France), BC * Made a wishy-washy effort in England * Emperor Claudius returned to England in 43 AD * Rome controlled England for 500 years

* Major highways * Monuments * Buildings * Aqueducts * Fine jewelry * Elaborate weapons

Celtic + Latin Language

* Romans return home * Celts left unprotected * They return to tribal society * They invite the Jutes from Northern Germany to help them fight the Picts and the Scots (invaders from Scotland & Ireland)

Jutes come with the Anglos & Saxons

* Legendary King Arthur was the Christian King * In Ireland, Celtic monks created the beautiful illustrated manuscript “The Book of Kells” * Christianity comes to England in a big way in 597 BC when St. Augustine is sent by Pope Gregory to evangelize the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms

* King Aethelbert ( ) is suspicious of Christianity at first – thinks priests perform magic * His wife Bertha converts and finally convinces him * Christianity = Monasteries = Education & Culture * Monks work as scribes and oral language is written down

* Literature originally passed down orally * Literature was the songs of traveling minstrels called scops * Often the scop was the main event at festivals * The lengthy Beowulf, the only surviving native heroic epic in Old English, was sung by a scop

* Riddles were created to show the Old English fondness for word play * Caedmon is the first English poet, one of the few poets known by name * The Venerable Bede, an English monk, preserved his lines

* Lyrical language * Alliteration * Metaphors * Kennings Kennings (a metaphorical compound expression) Swan road = stream Sky-candle = sun Sin-stained demon = Grendel

* Alfred the Great (only English king to be called “The Great”) * Saved the Anglo-Saxon civilization in the late 800’s when the Danes and Vikings were constantly attacking * Founded towns * Fortified them against attack * Established universities (furthered education)

* 1066 AD – The Norman (French) Conquest * The Battle of Hastings * Brings the birth of Middle English

* In 1066, Edward the Confessor, King of England, died without an heir * A council of nobles and church officials chose Harold, son of Earl Godwin of Wessex, as his successor * Across the channel in France, William, Duke of Normandy, held a claim to the throne tracing back to an oath made by Edward before his death * Harold and William fight for the throne (The Norman Conquest) * Decisive battle = Battle of Hastings on October 14, 1066

This event ends the Anglo-Saxon Period and begins the Medieval Period!